2007 NCAA Division III Central Region Cross Country Championships
November 10, 2007
Women's Race Preview
TEAMS
Nebraska Wesleyan of the Great Plains Athletic Conference enters the race as the top team in the region and the 11thranked squad in latest USTFCCA Division III poll. The Prairie Wolves won the GPAC Championship by a sizeable margin on the heels of two top six runs. NWU ha all five scoring runners in the top 14.
Luther appears to have the best chance of bringing a regional championship to the Iowa Intercollegiate Conference. The No. 15 Norse held off Wartburg in the IIAC's in October and is the second-ranked team in the region.
Three MIAC schools, including host St. Olaf, should contend for the women's team title. St. Thomas won the MIAC Championship by a slim margin finishing two points ahead of second place Carleton and six ahead of third place St. Olaf.
Grinnell dominated the Midwest Conference Championship taking the top two and four of the top ten spots. The Pioneers, who have now won four straight MWC titles, began the season as the top-ranked team in the region. They were sixth in the latest ranking and 28th in the Division III poll.
St. Scholastica had an impressive win at the UMAC championships behind a pair of first years. The Saints took three of the top four spots and had all their runners in the top 14.
INDIVIDUALS
The 2007 individual field is wide open after two-time region champion Hailey Harren of Gustavus graduated. Sarah Spencer of Grinnell may be the meet favorite. Spencer won the Midwest Conference title this fall. She finished second, behind Harren, in last year’s region. Janet Dobyns, who finished fifth at the 2006 Central Region Championships, won the IIAC’s and will have a good shot at the individual crown. Angie Berry of Central and Emily VanOosbree of Wartburg were second and third at the IIAC's and were within 16 seconds of Dobyns.
Bethel, which finished fourth at the MIAC's, has a pair that will contend for the individual title. Marie Borner was the MIAC Champion with a 21:56 while teammate Nikki Umhoefer was third with a 22:09. St. Thomas' Katie Theisen was third and St. Olaf's Jenna Carlson was fourth at the MIAC's and could contend as well.
Amber Brandenburger, Nebraska Wesleyan's top runner at the GPAC, is the Prairie Wolves' top contender. She finished seventh at the regional last season while teammate Brittany Hubbard was ninth.
First year Julia Curry of St. Scholastica ran past the field at the UMAC's, with a winning time almost a minute and a half faster than second place teammate Jessie Lovering, and could find her way near the top with a strong performance.
November 10, 2007
Women's Race Preview
TEAMS
Nebraska Wesleyan of the Great Plains Athletic Conference enters the race as the top team in the region and the 11thranked squad in latest USTFCCA Division III poll. The Prairie Wolves won the GPAC Championship by a sizeable margin on the heels of two top six runs. NWU ha all five scoring runners in the top 14.
Luther appears to have the best chance of bringing a regional championship to the Iowa Intercollegiate Conference. The No. 15 Norse held off Wartburg in the IIAC's in October and is the second-ranked team in the region.
Three MIAC schools, including host St. Olaf, should contend for the women's team title. St. Thomas won the MIAC Championship by a slim margin finishing two points ahead of second place Carleton and six ahead of third place St. Olaf.
Grinnell dominated the Midwest Conference Championship taking the top two and four of the top ten spots. The Pioneers, who have now won four straight MWC titles, began the season as the top-ranked team in the region. They were sixth in the latest ranking and 28th in the Division III poll.
St. Scholastica had an impressive win at the UMAC championships behind a pair of first years. The Saints took three of the top four spots and had all their runners in the top 14.
INDIVIDUALS
The 2007 individual field is wide open after two-time region champion Hailey Harren of Gustavus graduated. Sarah Spencer of Grinnell may be the meet favorite. Spencer won the Midwest Conference title this fall. She finished second, behind Harren, in last year’s region. Janet Dobyns, who finished fifth at the 2006 Central Region Championships, won the IIAC’s and will have a good shot at the individual crown. Angie Berry of Central and Emily VanOosbree of Wartburg were second and third at the IIAC's and were within 16 seconds of Dobyns.
Bethel, which finished fourth at the MIAC's, has a pair that will contend for the individual title. Marie Borner was the MIAC Champion with a 21:56 while teammate Nikki Umhoefer was third with a 22:09. St. Thomas' Katie Theisen was third and St. Olaf's Jenna Carlson was fourth at the MIAC's and could contend as well.
Amber Brandenburger, Nebraska Wesleyan's top runner at the GPAC, is the Prairie Wolves' top contender. She finished seventh at the regional last season while teammate Brittany Hubbard was ninth.
First year Julia Curry of St. Scholastica ran past the field at the UMAC's, with a winning time almost a minute and a half faster than second place teammate Jessie Lovering, and could find her way near the top with a strong performance.