November 22, 2008

HANOVER, IND. . . Six Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) cross country runners earned All-American honors (top-35 finishes) at the 2008 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships hosted by Hanover College Saturday. Both IIAC women's schools that qualified as full teams finished in the Top 10, including Wartburg in fourth place.

Wartburg College senior Brian Chenoweth finished third in the 8,000-meter, 278-runner men’s race in 24:34.04, the best finish by a Knight runner since Josh Moen won the second of his two national championships in 2004. Luther College senior David McKay finished eighth in a time of 24:41.35 to capture All-America honors for the second time. Peter Kosgei of Hamilton won the men's individual championship, finishing in 24:22.03.

Coe College senior Brad O'Neil, the only other IIAC men's qualifier, finished 51st in his second nationals appearance. He crossed the line in 25:14.36.

On the women’s side, Luther senior Janet Dobyns led a pack of four Iowa Conference All-Americans. The 2006 and 2007 Conference individual champion and an All-American each of the past two years, finished 15th in the 6,000-meter, 279-runner race in 21:28.79. She is the second Luther runner to earn All-America honors three times (Johanna Olson, 1999-2001). Bethel (Minn.) University's Marie Borner captured the women's individual championship in a time of 20:43.91.

Loras College senior Mary Bridget Corken, the 2008 IIAC individual champion, finished 16th in a time of 21:30.70, followed by Wartburg College junior Anna Kraayenbrink in 24th (21:34.56), and Coe College sophomore Ashley Schnell in 33rd (21:37.96). Kraayenbrink is Wartburg's first All-American since Missy Buttry won the last of her three consecutive National Championships in 2004, Corken is Loras' first All-American since 1998, and Schnell is Coe's first All-American.

As a team, Wartburg finished fourth of 32 teams with 284 points, up from 19th a year ago. It is the Knights' 12th NCAA appearance. The Norse women finished seventh with 330 points, up from 10th in 2007. It is the Norse's 10th NCAA appearance and seventh top-11 finish. Middlebury College won the NCAA Championship with 179 points.

In addition to Dobyns, the Norse runners included senior Flannery Cerbin (95th, 22:27.70), senior Elise Bennett (104th, 22:32.19), junior Becky Eckerman (135th, 22:43.17), sophomore Annie McKay (154th, 22:55.16), sophomore Sarah Lundine (188th, 23:14.23), and junior Katie Dolan (224th, 23:34.59). Other Wartburg runners included juniors Jennifer Kuiken (70th, 22:11.43) and Amanda Kuiken (80th, 22:18.24), senior Emily Van Oosbree (122nd, 22:38.27), sophomore Lori Tlach (141st, 22:50.09), junior Brendelyn White (232, 23:41.50), and freshman Laura Sigmund (252, 23:59.83). Cornell senior Rachelle Hawkins placed 65th in a time of 22:09.32.

Complete Men's Championship results can be found here.

Complete Women's Championship results can be found here.

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