Titans Out To Defend WIAC Crown
Defending champion UW-Oshkosh along with nationally ranked UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire are the projected title contenders at the WIAC Women's Cross Country Championship (Presented by Culver's) that will be held Saturday (Oct. 29) in Stevens Point.
The 39th version of the championship will take place at the Wisconsin River Golf Club. The 6,000-meter race is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. and will be followed by a men's 8,000-meter championship race at 1 p.m.
The Titans claimed their conference-leading 16th championship in program history a season ago with 47 points. UW-La Crosse, which won the event in both 2013 and 2014, finished second with 51 points while UW-Eau Claire placed third with 72, UW-Stout fourth with 91, UW-Platteville fifth with 99, UW-Stevens Point sixth with 187, UW-Whitewater seventh with 187 and UW-River Falls eighth with 230.
UW-La Crosse enters this year's championship ranked seventh and UW-Eau Claire 33rd in the NCAA Division III by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Returning runners who have secured All-WIAC honors at previous league championships are: UW-Eau Claire's Melody Becker (20th in 2014); UW-La Crosse's Hannah Beilke (16th in 2015), Andrea Brekken (18th in 2015), Elizabeth Frick (6th in 2014 & 10th in 2015), Kaitlyn McDaniel (6th in 2015), Mackenzie Keller-Miller (19th in 2015), Ellen Smith (19th in 2012 & 10th in 2014) and Rebecca Voss (5th in 2015); UW-Oshkosh's Cheyenne Moore (15th in 2014), Erica Munyan (13th in 2015) and Leah Rendflesh (15th in 2015); and UW-Platteville's Janelle Ferguson (20th in 2015) and Chelsey Heiden (8th in 2015).
Moore also finished 45th for the Titans at the 2015 WIAC Championship while Munyan placed 54th in 2013 and Rendflesh 33rd in 2014 and 41st in 2013.
Other UW-Oshkosh participants with WIAC Championship experience are Kristen Linzmeier, Jessica Stamn and Hannah Thorn. Linzmeier finished 39th at the league meet in 2015 and 24th in 2013 while Thorn placed 75th and Stamn 90th in 2015.
Completing UW-Oshkosh's 12-person lineup for this year's championship are Michelle Draxler, Cammy Garvelink, Ashton Keene, Ashlyn Schwind, Amanda Van Den Plas and Breanna Van Den Plas.
The eight titles from both UW-Eau Claire and UW-La Crosse and the three from former league member Marquette University follow UW-Oshkosh's 16 WIAC crowns. Since 1986, UW-Oshkosh has finished third place or higher at the WIAC Championship 27 times.
The top seven runners in the meet receive All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eight through 14 earn All-WIAC second team accolades. Individuals finishing 15 through 20 claim honorable mention laurels.
All eight WIAC teams will participate at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional on Nov. 12 at the Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne. The regional event will be hosted by UW-Oshkosh. The NCAA Division III Championship will be held Nov. 19 in Louisville, Ky.