November 17, 2007

NORTHFIELD, MINN. . . Five Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) cross country runners earned All-American honors (top-35 finishers) at the 2007 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships hosted by St. Olaf College Saturday. All four IIAC schools that qualified as full teams finished in the Top 25 including two in the Top 10.

Loras College senior Ben Grant finished fourth in the 8,000-meter, 280-runner men’s race in 24:43, the highest finish for a Duhawk runner since Marcus Murphy placed third in 2003. Luther College senior Matt Busche finished 26th in a time of 25:07, one second ahead of Norse teammate David McKay in 27th place. Wartburg College senior Andy Hodge finished 30th in a time of 25:09. Tyler Sigl of UW-Platteville won the men's individual championship finishing in 24:24.

Grant, Coe College junior Brad O'Neil and Simpson College junior Eric Osterhaus qualified for the Championship as individuals. O'Neil, the first Kohawk runner to qualify for nationals, placed 76th in a time of 25:41, while Osterhaus finished 169th in a time of 26:11.

In the team race, Luther finished eighth with 357 points and Wartburg College finished 25th with 537 points in the 32-team field. New York University won the NCAA Championship with 128 points. Luther was making its 16th Division III national appearance. Luther was making its 16th Division III national appearance and its 25th overall. Wartburg was making its ninth straight national appearance.

In addition to Busche and McKay, Luther’s runners included senior Carson Bruns (131st, 25:59), sophomore Mike Switzer (133rd, 25:59), junior Trevor Ruwitch (157th, 26:07), senior Aaron Zutz (182nd, 26:16) and freshman Erik Johnson (208th, 26:26).

Wartburg’s runners included Hodge, junior Brian Chenoweth (49th, 25:25), senior Brian Mullenbach (154th, 26:06), senior Lucas Tjosvold (218th, 26:31), senior Jacob Hommer (244th, 26:54), freshman Jon Stover (269th, 27:35) and junior Jordan Wildermuth (275th, 27:51).

On the women’s side, Luther junior Janet Dobyns was the Conference’s lone All-American. The 2006 and 2007 Conference individual champion and a 2006 All-American finished fifth in the 6,000-meter, 280-runner race in 21:28. She is the first Luther repeat women’s All-American since Johanna Olson from 1999-2001. Willamette University’s Sarah Zerzan repeated as women’s individual Champion finishing in 20:54.

Central College sophomore Angie Berry and Coe freshman Ashley Schnell qualified for the Championship as individuals. Berry was 63rd across the line in a time of 22:40, one second ahead of Schnell in 65th place. Berry finished 37th a year ago as a freshman.

As a team, Luther finished 10th of 32 teams with 325 points, up from 11th a year ago. It is the Norse's ninth NCAA appearance and sixth top-11 finish. Wartburg placed 19th with 500 points. Amherst College won the NCAA Championship with 120 points.

In addition to Dobyns, the Norse runners included junior Rachel Wobeter (66th, 22:41), freshman Ericka Sell (99th, 22:59), junior Flannery Cerbin (117th, 23:05), sophomore Katie Dolan (176th, 23:27), freshman Annie McKay (181st, 23:38) and junior Elise Bennett (196th, 23:34). Wartburg runners included sophomore Amanda Kuiken (109th, 23:02), sophomore Jennifer Kuiken (110th, 23:03), junior Emily VanOosbree (111th, 23:03), freshman Lori Tlach (166th, 23:25), senior Jessica Viner (204th, 23:38), junior Nicole Calabrese (241st, 24:01) and senior Janna McClintock (260th, 24:16).

Complete Championship results can be found here.

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