Women's Preview
Six-Kilometer Championship Preview
The clash for the NCAA's women's championship will be intense as the nation's top squads and a solid collection of individual athletes attack Hanover College's six-kilometer course.
Men's Championship Results - FinishTiming Results Here
Women's Championship Results - FinishTiming Results Here
Championship Race Program Supplement (PDF)
NCAA III Cross Country Championship Field Announcement
USTFCCCA Men's Awards / USTFCCCA Women's Awards
Top-ranked Middlebury College (Vt.), which has won four national championships and claimed the 2003 NCAA title on this course, won the New England Regional with a 57-point outing. The Panthers placed three runners in the top-10. Senior Alexandra Krieg led Middlebury with a third-place finish in 22:34.5. She placed third in the NCAA finale last year.
Second-ranked Calvin College (Mich.) bids for its third national title and the first since 1999. The Knights placed five runners in the first 12 positions to win the Great Lakes Regional with 42 points. Junior Lauren Bergstrom and senior Calah Schlabach finished 4-5 to lead the effort.
Williams College (Mass.), ranked third in the nation, earned a slot in the championship with a second-place finish in the New England Regional. Led by senior Lauren Philbrook's second-place finish (22:28.9), the Ephs finished 25 points behind Middlebury in the regional meet.
Amherst College (Mass.), the defending national champions, earned an at-large berth in the 32-team field. The Lady Jeffs finished fifth in last week's New England Regional. Senior Elise Tropiano captured the regional title with a time of 21:49.3. Tropiano finished more than nearly 40 seconds ahead of the field.
Wartburg College (Iowa), ranked fifth in the nation, captured the Central Regional last week. The Knights edged eighth-ranked Luther College (Iowa), 92-95, to win the crown. Junior Anna Kraayenbrink led Wartburg with a second-place finish in 22:02.4.
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire won the Midwest Regional championship with a 108-point effort and chases its first national title. Senior Mary Palmer led the fourth-ranked Blugolds with a sixth-place finish in 21:53.8. Only nine points separated Eau Claire from sixth-ranked Wisconsin-La Crosse (115) and seventh-ranked Washington University (Mo.), which had 117 points.
Two teams from the Atlantic Region will be a factor in the NCAA finale. Geneseo State University (N.Y.), ranked ninth in the country, posted a victory at last week's regional with a 64-point effort, squeaking past Cortland State University (N.Y.) by eight points.
Geneseo, which won the 2005 NCAA title, was led by Alyssa Smith. The freshman placed sixth overall with a time of 23:23.9 and led four Knights in the top 11 positions.
Cortland State, ranked 12th in the country, has won six national championships and is shooting for its first crown since 1997. Sophomore Andi Palen led the Red Dragons with a fifth-place finish in 23:17.
The battle for the NCAA's individual championship could be furious.
Willamette University (Ore.) senior Maddie Coffman will try to give the school its third consecutive individual champion in the event. Coffman, who was 11th in the nation last year, won the West Regional last week in 21:26.9, which ranks as the fastest winning time of the eight regionals. Willamette's Sarah Zerzan captured the past two NCAA titles.
Oberlin College (Ohio) sophomore Joanna Johnson has not lost a race this season. She earned the Great Lakes Region crown with a time of 21:51.76.
Bethel University (Minn.) junior Marie Borner claimed the Central Regional championship by more than 30 seconds, winning in 21:28.1. Borner, who placed 17th in the nation last season, has the fastest time of the season on this course. She won Hanover's Pre-National Meet Oct. 4 with a time of 21:24.27.
The University of Wisconsin-River Falls junior Becca Jordahl was fourth in the nation last season. She posted a time of 21:32 to place second at the Midwest Regional last weekend. Jordahl was second at Hanover's Pre-National Meet, just three seconds behind Borner.
The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh junior Ayla Mitchell finished 13th in the nation last year. She is coming off a victory in the Midwest Regional with a time of 21:28.2.
Luther senior Janet Dobyns finished fifth in the NCAA finale last year. She was sixth in last week's Central Regional with a time of 22:34.9.