By Alanna Huggett, UWEC Sports Information
COLFAX, WI (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's cross country team hosted the NCAA Midwest Regional Cross Country Championship meet this past Saturday, November 10 at Whitetail Golf Course in Colfax, WI.
Results | Photos | NCAA Championship website
The team placed 2nd with a score of 93 points earning an automatic qualifying spot at the NCAA Division III Championship meet. Washington University won the meet with a score of 58 points.
A total of 36 teams competed at the Midwest Regional. The Blugolds along with the top 5 teams from the meet qualified for the NCAA championship. This will be the second year in a row the women have qualified for the national meet.
Sam Slattery (Jr. – Waunakee, WI/Waunakee) was the first woman to finish for the Blugolds. Slattery placed 5th with a time of 21:59 and earned all-region honors.
Following Slattery were Morgan Marek (Sr. – Muskego, WI/Muskego), and Lexie Tremble (Jr. – Muskego, WI/Muskego). Marek placed 11th with a time of 22:10 and earned all-region honors. Tremble placed 14th with a time of 22:19 and earned all-region honors as well.
The next Blugolds to finish were Emma Drangstveit (So. – Lakeville, MN/Lakeville North High School), and Naomi Long (Fr. – Medina, MN/Wayzata). Drangstveit finished 20th with a time of 22:35 and earned all-region honors. Drangstveit ran a 23-second personal record on Saturday.
"I felt I ran the best I could – and had a nice PR," Drangstveit said.
Drangstveit also said the team achieved their goals on Saturday.
"I thought the team did very well for what we expected – we were expecting top 3 so I thought we achieved that very well and we ran as a team," Drangstveit said.
Long rounded out the top 5 for the Blugold women and finished 43rd with a time of 23:15.
Following Long were Emily Jaeger (Sr. – Fall Creek, WI/Fall Creek), and Alanna Huggett (So. – Marshall, WI/Marshall). Jaeger placed 46th with a time of 23:18. Huggett finished 93rd with a time of 24:14.
Head Coach Dan Schwamberger said that based off the team's performance at the regional, the championship meet next Saturday, November 17 will be a fun race for the Blugolds.
"It's great to have both teams heading to nationals for the 2nd consecutive year," Schwamberger said.
The team will race for the final time this season on Saturday, November 17 at the championship which will be hosted by UW-Oshkosh at Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne, WI. The women's race will start at 11:15 a.m.
