BOERNE, Texas - After two consecutive second-place finishes, the Colorado College women prevailed to earn the program its first-ever SCAC cross country championship Saturday morning at Boerne City Lake Park. Team Results | Individual Results | Official Website | Facebook Photo Album
Led by a 1-2 finish by sophomore Leah Wessler and senior Rebecca Lavietes, the CC Tigers scored 26 points to nip defending champion Trinity University, who finished with 29 points.
University of Dallas posted a program-best third place finish with 88 points and Texas Lutheran University was fourth with 122 points. Rounding out the standings, Austin College placed fifth with 135 points, Southwestern University was sixth with 149 points, Schreiner University was seventh with 222 points and Centenary College was eighth with 246 points.
Colorado College's Wessler earned SCAC Runner-of-the-Year honors to continue the Tigers' day of firsts. The second-year runner become the first Colorado College woman to earn Runner-of-the-Year honors, as she traversed the muddy 6K course in a time of 23:17.42. Lavietes followed with a time of 23:53.61.
Sophomores Stefani Messick (24:25.46) and Katie Sandfort (24:35.09) finished sixth and seventh, respectively while freshman Patty Atkinson was 10th in a time of 24:44.84. Sophomore Allison Crimmons (24:59.61) and junior Beryl Coulter (25:03.70) joined their teammates on the All-SCAC team with 12th and 13th place finishes, respectively.
Trinity did not relinquish its crown easily as senior Nicola Hlll (24:08.80) and Michelle Oberndorf (24:21.76) along with freshman Melissa Whitman (24:21.76) placed third, fourth and fifth, respectively, to pace the Texas Tigers. By posting the top finish among all first-year runners, Whitman was honored as SCAC Newcomer-of-the-Year.
For Oberndorf, it was her fourth-consecutive year to earn All-SCAC honors - making her just the third student-athlete from Trinity to earn All-SCAC all four years and the first since Rosemary Steup (2010-2013). Her current head coach - Emily Daum - first accomplished the feat (2005 to 2008).
Senior Autumn Kervella (24:40.65) was eighth (24:40.65), freshman Emma Maceachern (24:41.22) was ninth and junior Mariana Sigala (25:11.58) was 14th to round out Trinity's All-SCAC performances.
Senior Clare Myers of the University of Dallas placed 11th to earn All-SCAC honors - the only non Colorado College or Trinity runner to break through for a top 14 finish.
2014 Women's Cross Country All-Conference Team
1. Leah Wessler, Colorado College - 23:17.42
2. Rebecca Lavietes, Colorado College - 23:53.61
3. Nicola Hill, Trinity University - 24:08.80
4. Michelle Oberndorf, Trinity University - 24:20.81
5. Melissa Whitman, Trinity University - 24:21.76
6. Stefani Messick, Colorado College - 24:25.46
7. Katie Sandfort, Colorado College - 24:35.09
8. Autumn Kervella, Trinity University - 24:40.65
9. Emma Maceachern, Trinity University - 24:41.22
10. Patty Atkinson, Colorado College - 24:44.84
11. Clare Myers, University of Dallas - 24:46.57
12. Allison Crimmons, Colorado College - 24:59.61
13. Beryl Coulter, Colorado College - 25:03.70
14. Mariana Sigala, Trinity University - 25:11.58
After the race, SCAC Assistant Commissioner James Hill caught up with Colorado College's Wessler and Trinity's Whitman, as well as Colorado College head coach Ted Castaneda.
To watch an interview with the 2014 SCAC Runner Runner of the Year, Leah Wessler of Colorado College, click here.
To watch an interview with Newcomer of the Year, Melissa Whitman of Trinity University, click here.
To watch an interview with Colorado College head coach Ted Castaneda, click here.
