Women win WIAC conference title
Nick Gourdoux
Issue date: 11/3/08 Section: Sports
On Saturday the UW-Eau Claire men's and women's cross country teams competed in the WIAC conference meet.
Women
The women's team entered the meet hoping to defend its conference title earned last year, and accomplished its goal.
The Blugolds, ranked fourth in the nation, took first place out of the nine-team field. The 42 points earned by Eau Claire was 20 points lower than second place UW-Oshkosh. The 42 points is also a two-point improvement on the 2007-08 WIAC championship totals.
"We're all in great shape and we have a great coaching staff," Senior Mary Palmer said in an interview following her Sept. 13 race in Whitewater. "Everyone works so hard; it will be exciting to see where we go from here."
On the individual side, Palmer was the highest finisher for Eau Claire, taking fifth overall with a time of 21:55. Six other Blugolds finished in the top 15. Sophomore Beth Easker took 6th place overall, and junior Hannah Humbach finished eighth overall. Coming in at 11th place was freshman Alyssa Sybilrud, who was followed by sophomore Molly Woodford in 12th place. Senior Ellie Lutz finished 14th and junior Jenna Smith took 15th.
Following the race, senior Beth Lutz was named the Judy Kruckman Co-Scholar Athlete and coach Dan Schwamberger received his second consecutive WIAC coach of the year award.
"He's doing an excellent job," Miller said. "We're really lucky to have him on board, and he is going to bring the program around."
Men
On Saturday the men's cross country team traveled to Stevens Point to compete in the WIAC Championship. The Blugolds have not been able to finish above fourth place in the conference since the 1989-90 season, when the team took second place. Unfortunately for the men, the trend continued on Saturday.
The men finished in fourth place out of the nine WIAC teams competing. Eau Claire's 117 points was 65 points higher than first place Stevens Point. However, the total is a 60-point improvement on the team's 177 points from last season's 6th place finish.
"It's a big step for our team. In the last four or five years, we've really come a long ways," senior Jules Miller said. "I think we surprised a lot of teams in the conference."
Leading the way for the Blugolds was Miller, who took 10th place overall, with a time of 25:04. Junior Chris Wirtz finished six seconds after Miller, taking 11th. Sophomore Thomas Breitbach, junior Brent Kahn and sophomore Josh Wieland also finished in the top 50 overall.
"In general, the team is starting to have a lot more confidence," Miller said, adding that confidence is a big factor in the team's success.
Both the men's and the women's cross country teams will travel to Rock Island (Ill.) on Saturday, Nov. 15 to compete in the NCAA Regionals.
Women
The women's team entered the meet hoping to defend its conference title earned last year, and accomplished its goal.
The Blugolds, ranked fourth in the nation, took first place out of the nine-team field. The 42 points earned by Eau Claire was 20 points lower than second place UW-Oshkosh. The 42 points is also a two-point improvement on the 2007-08 WIAC championship totals.
"We're all in great shape and we have a great coaching staff," Senior Mary Palmer said in an interview following her Sept. 13 race in Whitewater. "Everyone works so hard; it will be exciting to see where we go from here."
On the individual side, Palmer was the highest finisher for Eau Claire, taking fifth overall with a time of 21:55. Six other Blugolds finished in the top 15. Sophomore Beth Easker took 6th place overall, and junior Hannah Humbach finished eighth overall. Coming in at 11th place was freshman Alyssa Sybilrud, who was followed by sophomore Molly Woodford in 12th place. Senior Ellie Lutz finished 14th and junior Jenna Smith took 15th.
Following the race, senior Beth Lutz was named the Judy Kruckman Co-Scholar Athlete and coach Dan Schwamberger received his second consecutive WIAC coach of the year award.
"He's doing an excellent job," Miller said. "We're really lucky to have him on board, and he is going to bring the program around."
Men
On Saturday the men's cross country team traveled to Stevens Point to compete in the WIAC Championship. The Blugolds have not been able to finish above fourth place in the conference since the 1989-90 season, when the team took second place. Unfortunately for the men, the trend continued on Saturday.
The men finished in fourth place out of the nine WIAC teams competing. Eau Claire's 117 points was 65 points higher than first place Stevens Point. However, the total is a 60-point improvement on the team's 177 points from last season's 6th place finish.
"It's a big step for our team. In the last four or five years, we've really come a long ways," senior Jules Miller said. "I think we surprised a lot of teams in the conference."
Leading the way for the Blugolds was Miller, who took 10th place overall, with a time of 25:04. Junior Chris Wirtz finished six seconds after Miller, taking 11th. Sophomore Thomas Breitbach, junior Brent Kahn and sophomore Josh Wieland also finished in the top 50 overall.
"In general, the team is starting to have a lot more confidence," Miller said, adding that confidence is a big factor in the team's success.
Both the men's and the women's cross country teams will travel to Rock Island (Ill.) on Saturday, Nov. 15 to compete in the NCAA Regionals.
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