Michigan
Big Ten Championships
Webster, Michigan Claim Conference Championships
10/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Indiana University Cross Country Championship Course)
Meet: Big Ten Championships (6,000 meters)
U-M Finish: 1st place of 11 teams (52)
Top U-M Individual: Erin Webster, 1st (20:23)
Next Meet: Saturday, Nov. 11 -- at NCAA Great Lakes Regional (Bowling Green, Ohio), 11 a.m.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Senior/junior Erin Webster (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child) led the No. 3-ranked University of Michigan women's cross country team to its fifth consecutive Big Ten Conference title on Sunday (Oct. 29) at the Indiana Cross Country Championship Course. Webster finished first place overall with a time of 20:23 to win the conference individual title. Her performance marked the sixth time that a Michigan harrier has won the conference's individual title, joining Molly McClimon (1993), Deanna Arnill (1994), Katie McGregor (1997-98) and Rebecca Walter (2003).
Winning the fifth straight team title was not an easy task, as a total of six Big Ten schools were ranked among the top 23 spots nationally. Junior Alyson Kohlmeier (Sarnia, Ontario/St. Patrick's) was right behind Webster, as she finished second overall with a mark of 20:35. Junior/sophomore Nicole Edwards (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey) also earned a top-10 spot, placing ninth overall (20:59).
Rounding out the scoring for the Wolverines were fifth-year senior Arianne Field (Kalamazoo, Mich./Hackett), who took 18th, clocking in at 21:18, and junior/sophomore Claire Otwell (Traverse City, Mich./Central), who placed 22nd with a time of 21:32.
The performances of Webster and Kohlmeier earned both of them their second consecutive All-Big Ten first team honors. Edwards earned her second straight All-Big Ten second team honors with her performance.
The Wolverines will have a two-week hiatus before trying to capture their third straight regional title at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships in Bowling Green, Ohio (Nov. 11). The women's race is scheduled to begin around 11:30 a.m.
Team Standings
1. MICHIGAN 52 2. Wisconsin 91 3. Minnesota 92 4. Michigan State 101 5. Illinois 107 6. Iowa 112 7. Indiana 158 8. Penn State 222 9. Ohio State 252 10. Purdue 297 11. Northwestern 321
Top 14 Individuals
(All-Big Ten: Top seven finishers are first team, next seven are second team)
1. ERIN WEBSTER, U-M 20:23 2. ALYSON KOHLMEIER, U-M 20:35 3. Hanna Grinaker, Wisconsin 20:39 4. Alissa McKaig, Michigan State 20:42 5. Angela Bizzarri, Illinois 20:49 6. Emily Brown, Minnesota 20:52 7. Ladia Albertson-Junkan, Minnesota 20:53 8. Meghan Armstrong, Iowa 20:54 9. NICOLE EDWARDS, U-M 20:59 10. Jessica Gall, Indiana 21:01 11. Michelle Rafferty, Michigan State 21:04 12. Racheal Marchand, Iowa 21:05 13. Katrina Rundhaug, Wisconsin 21:08 14. A'Havahla Haynes, Wisconsin 21:11
Other Michigan Individuals
18. Arianne Field 21:18 22. Claire Otwell 21:32 25. Katie Gwyther 21:43 32. Lisa Uible 22:02 36. Eileen Creutz 22:11 62. Jenny Morgan 23:06
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Mike McGuire
On winning a fifth consecutive Big Ten title ... "I thought we stepped up with a great day today. The conference is very tough. There were six really outstanding nationally ranked teams. We answered the challenge, which was the quality of depth in the conference. It's something to be very proud of."
On what he expects at the Great Lakes Regional ... "I'm glad we are running close to home. Right now, I think we need to regroup for a couple of days and get refocused and reenergized mentally and physically and come back with a solid race there. We're the defending champs and we'd like to be able to come out on top."
Contact: Tim Trunzo (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
