2012 MIAC X-Country Championship Meet Preview
MIAC women's cross country preview courtesy of Matt Higgins and the MIAC office
MIAC Women's XCountry Meet Home Page
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Over the past three season, the two Northfield schools have reigned at the MIAC Women's Cross Country Championships, with Carleton winning a year ago and in 2009, with St. Olaf capturing the 2010 title. As the 2012 conference meet looms on Saturday, the eyes of the conference look to Northfield once again to see if the two cross-town rivals can continue their run, or if a contender from elsewhere in Minnesota will emerge to take the title.
The 2012 race marks the 15th anniversary of Como Park Golf Course in St. Paul, Minn., serving as the championship host site. The event will begin with the men's 8K race at 2:15 p.m., followed by the women's 6K race and a short awards ceremony. Augsburg College is the host school for the 2012 MIAC Cross Country Championships, which features seven returning All-Conference women's runners who headline the competitive, 12-team field.
In 2011, Carleton claimed its second MIAC title in three years after the rival Oles had hoisted the trophy in 2010. This year, both expect to be in the mix again, but the 2012 edition of the MIAC Championships could be one of the most closely contested races in recent memory. The Knights won their 2011 title with 33 team points to runner-up St. Olaf's score of 52, but Carleton graduated last year's top two individual finishers - Simone Childs-Walker and Alison Smyth. Head Coach Donna Ricks will try to reload behind All-MIAC senior Rachael Klehm, who finished third to make it a top-three sweep for the Knights, as well as Honorable Mention sophomore Becca Herd, who was 20th a year ago.
The Oles will no doubt be in contention again as well, as Chris Daymont's team will look to a pair of seniors - All-MIAC runner Emma Lee (11th) and Honorable Mention honoree Rachel Dean (17th) - to bolster their hopes for a second title in three years. Gustavus joined the Northfield duo in the top three with 82 points a year ago, and the Gusties are another top team to watch in 2012. All-MIAC runners Kate Eggers (ninth) and Elizabeth Hauer (15th) lead the way, with Honorable Mention finisher Rebecca Hare (21st) pitching in to make Gustavus a contender again this weekend.
Another team aiming to unseat the Northfield schools is St. Thomas, which finished fourth (91 points) last year and brings back one of the most talented duos in the league. Senior Taylor Berg and junior Erin Statz finished 4-5 a year ago to both earn All-MIAC honors, and they'll both lead the Tommies and compete for the individual title again in 2012. Saint Benedict rounded out the 2011 top five (130 points), and with All-MIAC sophomore Bailey Drews (12th) back as one of the conference's top underclassmen, the Blazers expect to stay right with the leaders again this season. Manon Gammon-Deering joins classmate Drews as one of CSB's leaders.
Bethel (190 points) and Concordia (193) engaged in a close battle for sixth and seventh a year ago, and both have an All-MIAC Honorable Mention sophomore back in the lineup to lead the way this season. Concordia's Kasey Peterson finished 22nd as a freshman and Mollie Gillberg was 24th, and both hope to build on their strong MIAC debut with an event better showing in 2012. Look for Cobber Hannah Knickerbocker and Royal Melody Walton to also make an impact for their teams this weekend.
The Hamline women finished eighth a year ago with 199 points, and they'll be led by junior Maria Theisen, who cracked the Top 30 at last year's MIAC Championships. Macalester finished ninth at 233, and will likely be led by sophomore Rachel Gunsalus, who has led the Scots throughout the fall. St. Catherine rounded out the top 10 a year ago, and the Wildcats will look to junior Kristina Poss to lead the way again at the MIAC meet.
The host school, Augsburg, was 11th a year ago with a team total of 351, and have high expectations for star junior Lauren Rice at this season's MIAC Championships. Saint Mary's finished out the team standings in 12th a year ago with a team score of 357, and sophomore Katie Stolz has been the Cardinals top runner throughout the fall.
The MIAC Championships will conclude with a short awards ceremony to honor the team and individual champions and All-Conference runners near the clubhouse following the end of the women's race. The Top 15 runners in each race will be named All-MIAC, with finishers 16-25 receiving Honorable Mention, and all will be recognized for their accomplishment during the presentation.
The MIAC has a Web page dedicated to the event, and complete results, recaps, photos and more will be available on that site following the event. Webcast America will also be offering on-demand video highlights of both races following the event on its Web site. There will be a limited quantity of 2012 MIAC Championship T-shirts available for purchase on site, and the Como Park clubhouse concession stand will have concessions available for purchase as well.
The MIAC would like to thank Augsburg for its efforts as the host school for the event, as well as Como Park Golf Course for the outstanding accommodations for the 15th consecutive season. The MIAC also offers thanks to Twin Cities Orthopedics, which will provide on-site athletic training and medical services again in 2012.