Women Capture Fifth; Men Finish Eighth at Big 12 Championships
Oct. 31, 2009
COLUMBIA, Mo. –
Kansas women’s cross country earned its best finish in 15 years at the league championship meet, as the Jayhawks captured fifth place overall at the 2009 Big 12 Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Mo. Senior Lauren Bonds led the women’s team with a 10th-place overall finish and received All-Big 12 honors for the second consecutive year. The men tied for eighth with rival Missouri, collecting 237 total points. Both teams battled through soggy, muddy conditions on the A.L. Gustin Golf Course on Saturday Oct. 31.
Since the establishment of the Big 12 conference in 1996, the KU women have not placed higher than sixth at the championship event. This year, the Jayhawks’ top five runners all placed within the top 50, which allowed the team a three-spot improvement from its 2008 performance and its best since 1994.
Bonds crossed the finish line in 21:46.52 to take 10th place in a competitive field of 97 runners. Bonds was named to the All-Big 12 team, becoming the only woman in school history to win back-to-back All-Big 12 honors. She has now finished in the top 20 in every meet of her senior campaign.
Sophomore Rebeka Stowe also had an impressive race, as she finished 28th overall with a 6K time of 22:35.07. Stowe improved 50 spots from her 2008 finish. Sophomore Kara Windisch was the Jayhawks’ No. 3 finisher with a time of 22:53.19, while junior Amanda Miller was close behind with a 6K time of 22:59.25 to take 39th place.
Rounding out the scoring for the Crimson and Blue was Kellie Schneider, who had one of her best races of the season, according to the coaches. The senior from Kenosha, Wis., clocked in at 23:03.85 to take 47th place.
Freshmen Tessa Turcotte and Kathleen Thompson were the next to cross the finish line for Kansas, as Turcotte posted a 6K time of 23:43.99 and Thompson ran a 24:08.76. Sophomore Devin Wiegers finished 79th with a time of 24:13.52 and senior Alison Knoll clocked in at 24:25.31.
Donny Wasinger paced the men, as he has done in each of the four previous meets this season. The sophomore from Winona, Minn., placed 38th overall with an 8K time of 26:00.82. Senior Bret Imgrund was next to cross the finish line, as he ran a 26:03.15 to take 41st place.
Junior Dan Van Orsdel was the Jayhawks’ No. 3 finisher and took 53rd place overall with an 8K time of 26:23.33. He was followed by junior Nick Caprario, who placed 56th in an 8K time of 26:28.23. Sophomores Austin Bussing and Zach Zarda came in 62nd and 64th, respectively, with Bussing posting an 8K time of 26:44.50 and Zarda clocking in at 26:47.84.
Josh Baden placed 71st in his first Big 12 Championship appearance, with a time of 27:04.58. Kaleb Humphreys finished just second behind Baden with an 8K time of 27:07.89 and freshman David Roberts posted a 27:23.23 to take 82nd place overall in his first league championship action as well.
The Jayhawks will vie for a bid to nationals when they return to action on Nov. 14 with the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships in Springfield, Mo.
WOMEN
Team Results
1. Texas Tech 38
2. Colorado 52
3. Iowa State 85
4. Nebraska 143
5. Kansas 160
Top Individual Results
1. Jenny Barringer, Colorado 20:27.46
2. Allie McLaughlin, Colorado 21:13.36
3. Lisa Koll, Iowa State 21:17.45
Kansas Individual Results
10. Lauren Bonds 21:46.52
28. Rebeka Stowe 22:35.07
37. Kara Windisch 22:53.19
39. Amanda Miller 22:59.25
47. Kellie Schneider 23:03.85
65. Tessa Turcotte 23:43.99
74. Kathleen Thompson 24:08.76
79. Devin Wiegers 24:13.52
85. Alison Knoll 24:25.31
MEN
Team Results
1. Oklahoma State 24
2. Colorado 56
3. Oklahoma 75
8. Kansas 237
Top Individual Results
1. Ryan Vail, Oklahoma State 24:50.67
2. John Kosgei, Oklahoma State 24:52.26
3. Colby Lowe, Oklahoma State 24:55.25
Kansas Individual Results
37. Donny Wasinger 26:00.82
41. Bret Imgrund 26:03.15
53. Dan Van Orsdel 26:23.33
56. Nick Caprario 26:28.23
62. Austin Bussing 26:44.50
64. Zach Zarda 26:47.84
71. Josh Baden 27:04.58
73. Kaleb Humphreys 27:07.89
82. David Roberts 27:23.23
