If there is at least one thing better than being a champion it's being a two-time champion.

The University of Minnesota Duluth earned that moniker Saturday afternoon in Wayne, Neb., by capturing the NCAA Division II Central Regional Championship title for the second time in as many years. In the process, the Bulldogs earned their sixth-ever berth (and fifth in the past seven seasons) to the NCAA II Championships, which are set for Dec. 6 in Louisville, Ky.

The Bulldogs as a team totaled 40 points in the 29-school event while Augustana College (59 points), which two weeks ago won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference crown over UMD on a tiebreaker at the same Wayne Country Club course, was second while Missouri Southern (150 pts.) and Winona State University (151) claimed the next two spots en route to qualifying for nationals.

"I couldn't be more proud of these ladies for defending their region championship," said head coach Joanna Warmington.  "The team came in focused and ready to compete. We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to race at the national meet in two weeks."
 

Sophomore Samantha Rivard took individual honors -- just the third Bulldog to ever do so at the Central Regional (Morgan Place in 2009 and Karen Walczak in 1994 were the two others) -- with a 6K time of 21:05.73. Other point producers for UMD included sophomore Breanna Colbenson (6th; 21:39.70), freshman Emi Trost (8th; 21:51:09), junior Hannah Olson (12th; 22:17.38) and senior Alexandra Rudin (13th; 22:18.11). Freshman McKenzie Holt (47th; 23:25.73) and freshman Amber Seidenkranz (69th; 23:55.05) also ran for UMD Saturday.