Mitchell Repeats As Notre Dame Invitational Champion
UW-Oshkosh's Ayla Mitchell (Sr. • New
Richmond) ran another outstanding race as she successfully
defended her individual title at the Notre Dame Women's Cross
Country Invitational held Friday (Oct. 2) in South Bend, Ind.
Mitchell, who completed the 5,000-meter course in a winning time
of 17:31, helped UW-Oshkosh finish seventh in the Gold Division of
the 20-team event with 190 points. The Gold Division featured a mix
of participants from NCAA Division I, II and III schools.
Mitchell, who won last year's race with a time of 17:28, defeated
Megan Maceratini of Grand Valley State University (Mich.) by nine
seconds for this year's championship. Maceratini finished second
with a time of 17:40, while Ali Bishel of Ball State University
(Ind.) placed third in 17:44, Maura Bulgrin of the University of
Dayton (Ohio) fourth in 17:48 and Roxanne Sellick of Fresno State
University (Calif.) fifth in 17:54.
Grand Valley State University, ranked second in the NCAA Division
II by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches
Association, captured the team title with 48 points. The University
of Dayton finished second with 104 points, while Calvin College
(Mich.) placed third with 119, Eastern Michigan University fourth
with 160, Southern Illinois University fifth with 164 and Indiana
State University sixth with 171. Calvin College entered the meet
ranked first in the NCAA Division III and UW-Oshkosh eighth.
In addition to Mitchell, UW-Oshkosh received team scoring from
McKenzie Kelly (Fr. • New Richmond), Allison Gehl (Jr. •
Sherwood), Jordan Clark-Mand (Jr. • Waupun) and Jennifer
Piskor (Jr. • Eagan, Minn.). Kelly finished 45th among the 162
runners with a time of 18:57, while Gehl placed 46th in 18:57,
Clark-Mand 47th in 18:59 and Piskor 56th in 19:09.
The Titans also had Cassie Petersen (Jr. • Marinette) finish
75th in 19:22, Mallory Burk (Jr. • Athens) 77th in 19:24 and
Samantha Helgesen (So. • Bristol) 121st in 20:02.
UW-Oshkosh is off until it hosts the Brooks Invitational on Oct.
17 at the Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne.