Sat, Oct 31, 2009 Host: Concordia University Wisconsin

CUW women, Edgewood men win NAC cross country championships
MEQUON, Wis. -- Concordia University Wisconsin won the women's title and Edgewood College captured the men's at the 2009 Northern Athletics Conference Championships on the Concordia Wisconsin campus.

Concordia Wisconsin placed six runners in the women's top 25 for a team total of 67 points, five points ahead of runner-up Edgewood (72 points).

The Falcons were lead by individual champion and NAC Runner of the Year Samantha Gries, a junior from Cleveland, Wis. (Oostburg H.S.). Gries, who placed eighth at the 2008 NAC Championship, finished with a time of 23 minutes, 55 seconds. She led the pack by 18 seconds over runner-up Katie Schommer (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) of Wisconsin Lutheran College who finished with a time of 24:13 in the 6K event.

Wisconsin Lutheran placed third with 107 points and Benedictine University was fifth with 112. Dominican University placed fifth with 112 points, losing the tiebreaker to Benedictine. The Stars' Jasmine Hall (Rensselaer, Ind./Central) was named the NAC's Freshman of the Year. Hall clocked a time of 25:29 for a 15th place finish and the top time of freshmen.

2008 champion Aurora University was sixth (138). Concordia University Chicago finished seventh with 158 points, Alverno College eighth (181), Maranatha Baptist Bible College ninth (196), and MSOE last with 252 points.

CUW head coach Russ DeLap was named NAC Women's Coach of the Year, as voted on by his peers.

Edgewood claimed its first men's cross country championship with a slim three-point margin over runner-up Concordia Wisconsin. The Eagles, who had three top 10 finishers, tallied 47 points, CUW 50, and last year's champ Rockford College was third with 58.

Edgewood was led by second place finisher and NAC Freshman of the Year Josh Williams (Madison, Wis./West). Williams had a time of 26:33, just 7 seconds off the mark of individual champion and NAC Runner of the Year Andrew Ashenden (Grafton, Wis.) who finished at 26:26.

Edgewood head coach Bethany Brewster was named men's NAC Coach of the Year, as voted on by her peers.

MSOE finished fourth with 114 points, Benedictine was fifth with 153, Aurora was sixth with 158 and Concordia Chicago was seventh with 163. Maranatha had 198 points for eighth place, while Wisconsin Lutheran and Dominican both had 245 points. WLC claimed the ninth place spot by virtue of the tiebreaker, which is based on the higher finish of the sixth runner.

All NAC teams are next in action two weeks from today at the NCAA Midwest Regional. UW-Oshkosh will host the event at Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 14.

MEN'S STANDINGS
1. Edgewood, 47
2. Concordia Wisconsin, 50
3. Rockford, 58
4. MSOE, 114
5. Benedictine, 153
6. Aurora, 158
7. Concordia Chicago, 163
8. Maranatha, 198
9. Wisconsin Lutheran, 245
10. Dominican, 245
xx. Marian, DNQ for team score

Men's Individual Results

WOMEN'S STANDINGS
1. Concordia Wisconsin, 67
2. Edgewood, 72
3. Wisconsin Lutheran, 107
4. Benedictine, 112
5. Dominican, 112
6. Aurora, 138
7. Concordia Chicago, 158
8. Alverno, 181
9. Maranatha, 196
10. MSOE, 252
xx. Marian, DNQ for team score
xx. Rockford, DNQ for team score

Women's Individual Results

Northern Athletics Conference, Sports Information Department, October 31, 2009.
Updated November 2, 2009