Cazzola Repeats As WIAC Champion, Titans Fourth

Christy Cazzola (Jr. • Kaukauna) defended her individual title as UW-Oshkosh earned fourth place at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Cross Country Championship on Saturday (Oct. 29) in Colfax.

UW-Eau Claire scored 41 points to take first place in the team standings for the fifth consecutive year. UW-Stevens Point ranked second with 94 points, UW-La Cross third with 103 and UW-Oshkosh fourth with 107. UW-Stout owned the fifth position with 124 points, while UW-Platteville placed sixth with 128, UW-Whitewater seventh with 146, UW-River Falls eighth with 186 and UW-Superior ninth with 286.

Cazzola’s winning time of 21:27 was 40 seconds ahead of the next runner. The victory made her the sixth woman to repeat, with five of those victors being from UW-Oshkosh. The Titans now own four of the past five individual champions.

Kelly Haen (UW-Stevens Point) was next on the 6,000-meter course, clocking a time of 22:07. Katie Rydeen (UW-River Falls) took third place at 22:31, as Danielle Kunkel (UW-Platteville) crossed the line fourth at 22:31 and Madison Sawyer (UW-Eau Claire) fifth at 22:34.

The Blugolds took the top prize thanks to individuals in fifth, sixth, seventh, 11th and 12th place. Ashlyn Mauer finished sixth (22:36), just ahead of Alyssa Sybilrud (22:39) and UW-Whitewater’s Alyssa Duncan (22:40). A total of 102 runners completed the race on Whitetail Golf Course.

Each of the Titans’ five scorers placed among the top 40. McKenzie Kelly (Jr. • New Richmond) used 23 minutes to take 13th, while Allie DeBaker (So. • Green Bay) scored a 23:45 for 31st. Morgan Engelhart (So. • Oregon) stood 35th at 23:59 and Tori Johnson (Jr. • Valders) earned the 40th spot with her 24:04.

All nine teams will return to action Nov. 12 and participate at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional in Rock Island, Ill. The NCAA Division III Championship, hosted by UW-Oshkosh, is scheduled for Nov. 19 at Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne.