Oct. 24, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

Linwood, Mich. - Grand Valley State continued it dominance in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference by claiming its ninth straight GLIAC Women's Cross Country Championship on Saturday (Oct. 24) afternoon in Linwood, Mich. The Laker women recorded a team score of 20 points, outdistancing second place Ferris State by 47 points. Hillsdale placed third with 85, followed by Ashland (112), and Findlay with 161. GVSU will now begin preparations for the NCAA DII Midwest Regional on Saturday (Nov. 7), in Kenosha, Wis. at 12:00 p.m.

The women had seven runners finish in the top-eight and paced a time of 21:48. Junior Megan Maceratini led the Lakers with a second place finish. She crossed the finish line with a time of 21:33 followed by junior Katherine McCarthy in third (21:42). Senior Eileen Creutz placed fourth with a time of 21:47, while junior Amy Kolin was right behind in fifth (21:49). Sophomores Jessie Vickers finished sixth (22:07.1), while Julia Nowak placed seventh (22:07.4). Maceratini, McCarthy, Creutz, Kolin, Vickers, and Nowak all received First Team All-GLIAC selection.

Senior Leah Borns received Second Team All-GLIAC with an eighth place finish (22:08.7). Freshman Kaleigh Carlson crossed the finish line in 12th (22:22), who was named GLIAC Freshman of the Year.

"Today was a total team effort from top to bottom. Our women raced in a group and did a great job of moving up to the front," said head coach Jerry Baltes, who received Coach of the Year honors. "Our front four women had a strong race and our five, six and seven runners had a solid race right behind them."