Women's Cross Country Claims WIAC Title

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Posted: Saturday, November 1, 2008

STEVENS POINT, Wis. - The fourth-ranked UW-Eau Claire women's cross country team took first place today with 42 points at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship held at the Wisconsin River Golf Club, claiming the WIAC title for the second year in a row.

UW-Oshkosh followed the Blugolds on the day, taking second place overall with 62 points. La Crosse took third with 65, while tournament host UW-Stevens Point placed fourth with 112 points. On the individual side, UW-River Falls' Becca Jordahl crossed the finish line first with a time of 21:01. A year ago she finished second at the championship, while she took third in 2006.

Eau Claire did well on the individual side, with its top seven runners taking no less than 15th place on the day. Mary Palmer (Sr.-Anoka, Minn.) set the tone for the Blugolds, taking fifth place overall with a time of 21:55. Crossing the finish line next was Beth Easker (So.-Wittenberg, Wis./Wittenberg-Birnamwood) who finished with the overall time of 22:16. Hannah Humbach (Jr.-Madison, Wis./Abundant Life Christian) was the next Blugold finisher, taking eighth place overall with a time of 22:27. Alyssa Sybilrud (Fr.-Savage, Minn./Burnsville) and Molly Woodford (So.-Waukesha, Wis./South) placed 11th and 12th for the Blugolds with times of 22:32 and 22:34, respectively.

Not only were the Blugolds rewarded with the WIAC crown, but Beth Lutz (Sr.-Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial) was named the Judy Kruckman Co-Scholar Athlete following the completion of the meet. Second-year head coach Dan Schwamberger was also named the WIAC Coach of Year, receiving the honor for the second year in a row.

Up next, The Blugolds will head to the NCAA Regionals in Rock Island, Illinois on Saturday, November 15 at 11:00 a.m.

- MT -