2006 CCIW Women's Cross Country Championship
Hickory Point Golf Course
Oct. 28, 2006, Forsyth, Illinois
Hosted by Millikin
North Central Men & Women Earn CCIW Cross Country Titles
DECATUR, Ill. – The scene was all too familiar at the 2006 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur, Ill.
When it was all said and done, both the men’s and women’s cross country teams from North Central College had crossed the finish line victorious as the men won their 34th straight conference championship dating back to 1974, while the women picked up their first team title since 1995 and fourth overall.
The North Central men won the team title in the 8K with an overall score of 34 and a total time of 2:10:02.68. Augustana was second with a score of 64 (2:11:37.32), while Wheaton was third (71 points; 2:11:38.04). Elmhurst (102; 2:13:47.66), Carthage (103; 2:13:57.09), Millikin (159; 2:18:37.83), Illinois Wesleyan (200; 2:24:52.15) and North Park (259; 2:37:05.31) rounded out the team scoring.
In the women’s 6K, North Central won with a team score of 30 and a total time of 1:55:41.52. Last season’s champion Wheaton was second with a score of 50 and a total time of 1:58:29.30, while Carthage was third with a score of 89 and a total time of 2:00:45.59. Augustana (130 points; 2:04:50.58), Elmhurst (130; 2:09:33.63), Illinois Wesleyan (161; 2:07:27.65), North Park (181; 2:11:49.91) and Millikin (226; 2:24:09.08) rounded out the team scoring for the women.
North Central’s Amber Druien won the individual title with a time of 22:27.14, while Elmhurst’s Marisa Mele was second with a time of 22:44.92. Jessica Griffin of North Central was third (22:54.06), while teammate Amanda Laesch was fourth (22:54.67). Hannah Landecker of North Park was fifth with a time of 23:00.86.
For the men, Nathaniel Hird of North Central won the individual title with a time of 25:22.62, while Brandon Mull of Wheaton was second with a time of 25:35.39. Mike Ptack of Elmhurst was third (25:50.25), while North Central’s Nicholas Hird placed fourth (25:54.35). Carthage’s Mike White was fifth with a time of 25:56.84.
Both the North Central men's and women's cross country coaching staffs earned CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year honors, while Druien and Nathaniel Hird took home women's and men's athletes of the year respectively. North Central's Laesch took home freshman of the year honors on the women's side, while William Zook from Augustana College was freshman of the year on the men's side.
2006 CCIW Women's Cross Country Championship Preview
NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The 21st installment of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Women’s Cross Country Championships makes its way to Decatur, Ill., Saturday, Oct. 28 at Hickory Point Golf Course as eight cross country programs look to capture the conference crown, while seven schools will look to dethrone Wheaton, who has won the last two conference titles, seven overall.
Two CCIW schools have earned recognition in the NCAA Division III national polls, conducted by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Both North Central at 14th and Wheaton at 32nd have placed in the national poll on the women’s side.
Wheaton, who scored 41 points in winning the conference championship last season, gave a strong showing at the NCAA Division III Pre-Nationals in preparation for the conference championships and national meets. Lisa Baumert placed 11th with a time of 22:30.62, while Jesi Christiansen finished 34th (23:22.29). Rebecca Henry was 36th at pre-nationals (23:27.17), while Marah Borgman finished 46th (23:41.28).
North Central, who scored 55 points in taking second during the conference championship last season, recently competed in a field of all Division I schools during the Oct. 14 Chilli Pepper Invitational hosted by the University of Arkansas. The Cardinals placed 28th with 748 points as Amber Druien placed 98th with a time of 22:26.8. Amanda Laesch placed 122nd (22:45.0), while Jen Bach was 197th (23:37.3).
Illinois Wesleyan placed 89th in the team standings at last year’s conference championships. At its most recent meet, the Titans finished 25th at the UW-LaCrosse Invitational on Oct. 14. Jenny Baugh placed 135th with a time of 24:30, and Kerry Devitt was 144th with a time of 24:39.
Carthage (115 points), Augustana (138), North Park (159), Elmhurst (168) and Millikin (203) rounded out the team scoring for the CCIW Championship last season.
The Lady Reds of Carthage recently took eighth at the UW-Oshkosh Invitational as Karen Jackson finished 42nd at 23:31.12 and Laura Pearson was 47th at 23:35.19. Augustana recently placed third at the Millikin Invitational on Oct. 13. The Vikings had strong performances from Melissa Engel, who achieved a fourth place finish with a time of 23:51, and Jenna McAdam who finished 10th with a time of 24:25. North Park’s Hannah Landecker placed 13th at the UW-Oshkosh Invitational with a time of 22:31.35.
Elmhurst’s Marisa Mele has won the last two individual titles at the conference championship. Mele is coming off a first place finish at the Millikin Invitational with a time of 22:37. Millikin’s Michelle King placed 23rd at this same meet with a time of 25:08.
