Wissel Qualifies for NCAA Championships
Nov. 10, 2007
Lawrence, Kan. – Senior Colby Wissel qualified for the NCAA Championships for the University of Kansas cross country team with his fifth place finish at the Midwest Regional Championships in Peoria, Ill. on Saturday afternoon. As a team, the men finished 10th and the women placed 12th.
Wissel, along with sophomore Lauren Bonds and fellow senior Paul Hefferon, each earned all-region honors with career-best times. Wissel finished with a career-best time of 30:11 in the 10K race, topping his previous best of 30:53 at the 2005 NCAA Championships. Hefferon, the 20th man to cross the finish line also topped his 2005 NCAA Championship time to set a new career mark at 30:40 while Bonds’ career-best 6K time of 21:05 was good enough for 25th-place finish.
Wissel qualifies for the championships by finishing as one of the top four individual competitors that are not part of automatic qualifying teams.
In his first career 10K race, sophomore Dan Van Orsdel was the third Jayhawk to cross the finish line and was 71st overall at 32:11. Senior Patrick McGowan came in shortly behind Van Orsdel at 32:25. McGowan’s best 10K time as a Jayhawk placed him in 79th. Freshman Nick Caprario also scored for Kansas, finishing in 85th with a time of 32:36.
Running in their final Midwest Regional, seniors Hayley Harbert and Alicia McGregor also set new personal standards by breaking the 22-minute barrier. Harbert finished in 55th with her time of 21:44 finishing second on the team while McGregor was the next Jayhawk to cross the finish line placing 70th overall in a time of 21:56.
Also scoring for the women’s team, were senior Lisa Morrisey and freshman Amanda Miller. Morrisey finished in 80th with a time of 22:05 and Miller was 96th, finishing in 22:23.
The Midwest Regional Championships may have the final cross country race for many of 2007 seniors. Neither the men’s or women’s teams automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships. The NCAA will announce the 13 at-large teams and the two at-large runners that will participate for in the Championships on Monday, November 12.
Kansas Men’s Results:
5. Colby Wissel, 30:11
20. Paul Hefferon, 30:40
71. Dan Van Orsdel, 32:11
79. Patrick McGowan, 32:25
85. Nick Caprario, 32:36
96. Jason Schweitzer, 32:56
140. Bret Imgrund 34:39
Kansas Women’s Results:
25. Lauren Bonds, 21:05
55. Hayley Harbert, 21:44
70. Alicia McGregor, 21:56
80. Lisa Morrisey, 22:05
96. Amanda Miller, 22:23
100. Alison Knoll, 22:25
112. Megan James, 22:39
