NCAA DIII Central Region Results

Start of the men's race in the NCAA DIII Central Region Championships
Photo by Jim Ferstle

St. Olaf and Wartburg captured the team titles, while St. Scholastica's Chelsea Johnson won the women's individual championship and Central College's  Eli Horton won the men's at the NCAA Central Region Championships Saturday in Northfield.

Chelsea Johnson
Photo by Gene Niemi

Mild temperatures, overcast skies, and thick air greeted the women as they embarked on their 6K journey over the St. Olaf cross country course.  As she has all season, Johnson, a senior, set the pace with the rest of the women attempting to stick with her.  None could, as she won in 21:10.99, almost 20 seconds faster than runner-up Noelle Olson, a St. Olaf freshman, who ran 21:30.79 in second.

Noelle Olson
Photo by Gene Niemi

The women's team race was equally convincing as Wartburg seniors Sammi Bruett(22:13.29) and Haddie Vawter(22:22.94) finished sixth and seventh to lead them to the team title.  Wartburg's 86 points was 18 less than Carleton, which was led by a pack of three runners--sophomore Ruth Steinke(11th/22:35.14), freshman Winona Rachel(14th/22:37.09), and junior Colette Celichowski(15th/22:48.59)--who with junior Sally Donovan(21st/23:10.29) and freshman Kazia Mermel(43rd/23:43.64) scored 104 points.

The St. Olaf women finished third with 131 points and are likely to get an at large nomination for a spot in the NCAA DIII Championships.  The Ole men got one of the two guaranteed spots in the NCAA Championships by winning a battle with runner-up Central College.  Led by runner-up Grant Wintheiser(24:39.62), third-place finisher Jake Brown(24:47.17) and sixth placer, senior Brian Saksa(25:06.17) to a team score of 51 points, edging runner up Central by ten points.

Grant Wintheiser(240) and
Jake Brown(231)
Photo by Gene Niemi

Men's results are HERE. Women's are HERE.  More later....