The University of Minnesota Duluth will be heading to Wayne, Neb., this coming Saturday (Nov. 7) to compete in the NCAA II North Central Regional. The meet will be held at the Wayne Country Club, with the women's 6K race starting at 10:00 a.m. and the men's 10K following at 11:00 a.m. The top-five finishing men's teams and the top six women's squads, will qualify for the 2009 NCAA II Cross Country Championships. In addition, the top two individuals not from one of the qualifying teams will also make the trip to Evansville, IN.
TEAMS: Other teams competing with the Bulldogs are Adams State College, Augustana College, Colorado Christian University, Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado - Colorado Springs, Concordia University - St. Paul, Fort Lewis College, University of Mary, Metropolitan State College of Denver, Minnesota State Mankato, Minnesota Sate University Moorhead, New Mexico Highlands University, University of Nebraska Kearney, Northern State University, Regis University Colorado, St. Cloud State University, Wayne State College, Western New Mexico University, Western State College of Colorado, Winona State University, along with women's teams from Bemidji State, Colorado State University - Pueblo, Mesa State College.
LAST YEAR: The University of Minnesota Duluth Women placed fourth in the region earning them their second-ever trip to the NCAA II Women's Cross Country Championships. Then-freshman Morgan Place took fourth overall in a time of 20:28.6, followed by senior Liz Palkie, while the sophomore tandem of Bridget Hines (24th; 22:00), Whitney Hines (42nd place; 22:26.5) and Rachael Stack (50th; 22:32. 7) were the othe point scorers for UMD.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: Sophomore Nick Nygaard has been the Bulldogs' top finisher in six out of seven races this season. Senior Zach Varty, freshmanThomas Ruttger, and junior Erik Escher have been three of the other top runners for the Bulldogs in 2009. On the women's side, sophomore Morgan Place has won 12 of 15 collegiate meets, and has recently captured back-to-back NSIC Individual Championships. The women will be missing their number two runner freshman Alyssa Salava who suffered a broken leg at the NSIC meet last weekend. Running with Place will be the junior quintet of Carrie Wardell, Rachael Stack, Bridget and Whitney Hines, and Michelle SanCartier.
THE RANKINGS: The Bulldog women are fourth in the most-recent USTFCCCA Central Regional and thirteenth in National Rankings while the men are currently ranked tenth in the Region.
