NMU X-C’s season comes to an end at NCAA Regionals
(Courtesy: NMU Athletics)
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The Northern Michigan cross country team finished its season at the 2011 NCAA Midwest Regional hosted by Ferris State University. The Wildcats finished 11th overall and freshman Larissa Halonen was named all-region after finishing 21st.
“We had a good finish to the season,” NMU coach Jenny Ryan said. “Larissa had a great race and it makes me excited for our future.”
Halonen finished the 6-kilometer race at Katke Golf Course in a time of
22:52.4. Sophomore Mandy Dye was second on the team in 41st-place (23:30.6) and redshirt freshman Katie Granquist was 45th (23:34.4).
The top team in the country Grand Valley State won the race with 29 points. No. 2 Ferris State was second (106) while Saginaw Valley State and Ashland also advanced to the NCAA Championship.
NMU totaled 277 points. The ‘Cats were the eighth team in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and defeated seven Great Lakes Valley schools.
“We moved up quite a bit from 15th-place finish last year,” Ryan added.
“Four of our top five runners will return for next year with the addition of incoming freshman, making it a good sign for the future.”
Senior Nora Kiilunen (81st), junior Rita Woitas (89th), freshman Chelsea Farquhar (94th) and senior Olivia Juntila (117) also raced for the ‘Cats.