November 12, 2005

WAVERLY, IOWA . . . Wartburg College women’s cross country team, behind three of the top-20 finishers, won the NCAA Central Regional cross country Championship at the Waverly Municipal Golf and Country Club on Saturday. The Knights’ title was the highlight of a successful day for the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) at the Regional Meet, as both Wartburg teams along with Loras’ Ben Grant and Luther’s Adam Bohach and Amber Uhlenhake qualified for next Saturday’s National Meet at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio.

Wartburg’s women totaled 102 points to finish five points ahead of Carleton College. Scoring for the Knights were freshman Nicole Calabrese (3rd, 22:33.20), junior Jill Wagaman (12th, 24:15.75), sophomore Marcy Rahn (20th, 23:48.25), freshman Emily Van Oosbree (27th, 23:53.50) and sophomore Julie Ridenour (40th, 24:13.95). Gustavus Adolphus’ Hailey Harren won the 6,000-meter race in 21:46.85.

The top-four women’s teams from the Regional Meet along with the top-seven individuals on non-qualifying teams received bids to the National Meet. Freshman Uhlenhake used a ninth-place finish in 23:07.90 to earn a trip. Her finish led Luther to a seventh-place finish with 173 points.

Other IIAC women’s teams participating in the Regional Meet were Loras (15th with 437 points), Central (16th with 438 points), Simpson (17th with 443 points), Coe (18th with 460 points) and Cornell (21st with 542 points).

Wartburg’s men were the top finishing IIAC men’s team, finishing second with 83 points, 41 behind winner Nebraska Wesleyan. Scoring for the Knights were senior Keith Solverson (3rd, 25:26.0), freshman Tim McKenna (12th, 26:33.50), junior Patrick Johnson (16th, 26:10.85), junior Kevin Balster (24th, 26:24.80) and senior Ben Carlson (28th 26:31.75). Nebraska Wesleyan’s Levi Ashley won the 8,000-meter race in 25:18.70.

The top-five men’s teams from the Regional Meet along with the top-four individuals on non-qualifying teams received bids to the National Meet. Sophomore Grant finished eighth (25:55.85) and junior Bohach finished ninth (25:56.10) to earn a trip. Bohach led Luther to a seventh-place finish with 183 points. Grant led Loras to a 14th-place finish with 368 points

Other IIAC men’s teams participating in the Regional Meet were Central (9th with 250 points), Coe (15th with 431 points), Simpson (17th with 554 points), Dubuque (18th with 561 points) and Buena Vista (20th with 596 points).

All-Region Runners: The top-35 finishers in both the men’s and women’s races are designated All-Region. Eighteen IIAC runners, including 11 men and seven women, received All-Region honors. On the men’s side, in addition to Solverson, McKenna, Johnson, Balster, Carlson, Grant and Bohach, Luther senior Matt Roling (29th, 26:32.35), Wartburg sophomore Andy Hodge (30th, 26:33.50), Wartburg senior Scott Cross (31st, 26:35.90) and Central senior Bryan George (32nd, 26:36.40) received All-Region recognition. This marks the third All-Region honor for Solverson, and second for Grant, Johnson and Carlson.

On the women’s side, in addition to Calabrese, Wagaman, Rahn, Van Oosbree and Uhlenhake, Luther freshman Janet Dobyns (11th, 23:24.15) and Loras sophomore Bryna Copes (26th, 23:52.95) received All-Region recognition. It is the second consecutive All-Region honor for Wagaman and Copes.

Complete Regional results can be found here.

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