MIDWEST COLLEGIATE CHALLENGE RESULTS

TEAM FINISH: The women’s team placed 15th out of 22 teams while the men’s team placed 11th out of 20 teams.

TEAM STATS:
WOMEN’S TEAM: The team’s top five runners (Time=103:01, Average=20:36) had a spread of 1:09 and averaged just eight seconds more per runner than last year’s top five. The team’s top seven runners (Time=145:58, Average=20:51) had a spread of 1:35 and averaged just ten seconds more per runner than last year’s team. The team’s top two runners finished ahead of last year’s number one runner.

MEN’S TEAM: The team’s top five runners (Time=137:52, Average=27:34) had a spread of 1:22 and averaged 1:02 per person better than last year’s top five. The team’s top seven (Time=194:09, Average=27:44) had a spread of 1:22 and averaged 1:10 per person better than last year’s top seven. The team had two runners ahead of last year’s first, seven ahead of last year’s second, and eleven ahead of last year’s fifth.

’07 IMPROVEMENTS:
WOMEN’S TEAM: Michelle Lewis (:21), Abbey Ring (:37), Katie Wold (1:22)

MEN’S TEAM: Joey Merrill (1:33), Nate Carey (1:35), Matt Kennedy (1:36), David Schonscheck (1:43), Justin Verhulst (2:10)

SEASON BEST:
WOMEN’S TEAM: Angie Raasch (:08), Michelle Lewis (:19), Katie Wold (:22), Abbey Ring (:33), Charity Cook (:35), Jennah Brodersen (:49), Katie Schneideman (1:01), Stephanie Libby (1:05), Karla Kultgen (1:19), Kelsey Mullen (1:23), Emily Stenzel (1:27), Heather Wollesen (2:00)

MEN’S TEAM: Joey Merrill (:09), Zach Becker (:10), Peter Johnston (:11), Sam Rabideau &
David Schonscheck (:12), Mark Parker (:14), Austin Thorson (:16), Luke & Clint Loker (:21), Jon Golem (:22), Zach Foy & Matt Steil (:23), Mike Burke (:29), Jordan Scholzen (:30), Josh Schmidt (:36), Will Lechleitner (:42), Justin Verhulst & Nate Carey (:43), Matt Kennedy (:45)

PERSONAL BEST:
WOMEN’S TEAM: Katie Wold (Tie), Angie Raasch (:08), Jennah Brodersen (:49), Katie Schneideman (1:01), Stephanie Libby (1:05), Karla Kultgen (1:19), Kelsey Mullen (1:23), Emily Stenzel (1:27)

STUD OF THE MEET: Emily Stenzel & Matt Kennedy

SUMMARY:
The UW-Stout Cross Country Teams officially began the 2007 season this at the Midwest Collegiate Challenge hosted by UW-Parkside. The met was filled with a variety of schools from Division I to Division III. While the team’s places were a bit behind last season, they saw a number of great performances that should give both teams something positive to look forward to as the season progresses.

The women’s team was lead by freshman Emily Stenzel and senior Abbey Ring. The two were within close proximity throughout the entire race and in the end only separated by four seconds. In the process, Stenzel moved into the school’s sub 20:00 5K list with her 19:58 in just her third ever 5K. Junior Michelle Lewis came in ahead of her pace from a year ago to finish as the team’s third runner. Following her was a crew of freshmen that all had tremendous performances in their first collegiate race – Katie Schneideman, Kelsey Mullen, Stephanie Libby, and Karla Kultgen. Also completing the 5K course were Charity Cook (SO), who is rebounding well from knee surgery, Angie Raasch (FR), Heather Wollesen (SO), Katie Wold (SO), who was the only returning runner to tie her personal best, and Jennah Brodersen (FR). Behind the scenes were Bridgette Crozier (SR), one of last year’s top runners, Erica Schweikert (JR), and Anna Kuffel (FR) who are working to recover from injury by completing a portion of the race.

The men’s team is where the improvement is vastly evident as the team completed the course by more than a minute per person ahead of last year’s team, and the team saw eleven runners finish with faster times than last year’s fifth! Leading the way was senior David Schonscheck. Following close behind was Nate Carey (SO), Peter Johnston (FR), and Matt Kennedy (JR). The team’s remaining varsity runners, who nearly all broke the 28-minute mark for 8000 meters (5 miles), were Clint Loker (FR), Jon Golem (SR), and Joey Merrill (SO). As with the women, the team’s story lies in the newly added depth due to this year’s incoming freshmen as seven they compiled seven of the next eight spots on the team – Mark Parker, Austin Thorson, Sam Rabideau, Zach Becke, Jordan Scholzen, Luke Lippert, and Matt Steil. The lone upper classman to break up the group was junior Justin Verhulst. Also, completing the course was Will Lechleitner (SR), Josh Schmidt (SO), Zach Foy (FR), Mike Burke (FR), and Josh Norton (FR). Behind the scenes was freshman Mike Granke who ran a portion of the race as he rebounds from a minor injury.

The Studs of the Meet were freshman Emily Stenzel and junior Matt Kennedy. Emily rolled to a new personal best as she cracked the 20-minute mark for the first time in her short career. Matt Kennedy knocked off 1:36 from his time a year ago as he helped to lead the team’s varsity group through the first couple of miles.

Next up for the team, is the annual Blugold Invitational host by UW-Eau Claire this Friday at the Whitetail Golf Course located just outside of Colfax. The women’s 6000 meter race will begin at 4:00pm and the men’s 8000 meter race will start at 5:00pm.