DRAGON CROSS COUNTRY
Press Release
MSUM MEN AND WOMEN CLOSE AT NCAA II REGIONALS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Novmber 5, 2007
SCHEDULE- - - Minnesota State University Moorhead men and women conmpleted their season last Saturday at the NCAA Division II North Central Regionals at Vermillion, SD.
COACH- - - Keith Barnier is in his sixth season as men and women’s cross-country coach at MSU Moorhead. Cley Twigg returns as varsity assistant.
LAST WEEK- - - MSU Moorhead men finished ninth while Dragon women placed 10th at the 2007 NCAA Division II North Central Regionals on Saturday at Vermillion, SD. The Dragons did not qualify any individuals for the national championships.
2007 NSIC CHAMPIONSIPS- - - Minnesota State Moorhead swept Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference cross-country titles October 20 at Winona. MSUM men grabbed three of the top six individual finishes and breezed to the team championship with 38 points while Wayne State was second in the six-team field with 64 points. Kyle Eckhoff (2nd, 26:00.2), Scott Egeberg (3rd, 26:04.0) and Adam Kne (6th, 26:34.8) led the Dragon pack. MSU Moorhead women shaded Wayne State 50-55 in a seven-team field. Anna VanWechel captured the individual crown for the Dragons with a time of 22:34.5 while Danielle Thompson placed seventh.
RANKINGS- - - MSU Moorhead women are ranked 25th nationally and seventh in the NCAA Division II North Central Region by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Dragon men are ranked ninth in the region.
JIMMIE INVITATIONAL- - - MSUM swept men and women team titles at the Jimmie Invitational at Hillcrest golf course in Jamestown, ND October 5. MSU Moorhead placed six runners in the top 10 and claimed the women's crown with 26 points, followed by Concordia College (64) and Jamestown College (98) in a six-team field. Anna VanWechel finished first with a time of 18:53.90 while Danielle Thompson was fourth at 19:32.99. MSUM men edged Dickinson State 27-30 to win the team championship in a field of five while Concordia College finished third with 87 points. Scott Egeberg (26:13.65), Adam Kne (26:19.71) and Keith Eckhoff (26:34.52) provided Dragon men with a 1-2-3 finish.
ROY GRIAK INVITATIONAL- - - MSU Moorhead men placed 10th in a field of 25 teams at the Roy Griak Invitational September 29 at Falcon Heights while Dragon women finished seventh among 30 teams. Scott Egeberg led the Dragon men with a sixth place finish at 25:57 while Adam Kne was 11th at 26:24. Anna VanWechel placed 15th for the MSUM women with a mark of 23:32 while Danielle Thompson was 19th at 23:49.
ST. OLAF INVITATIONAL- - - The Dragon men finished eighth in a field of 27 teams at the St. Olaf Invitational September 15 while MSUM women were eighth in a field of 25 clubs. Scott Egeberg placed seventh with a time of 25:50 while Adam Kne was 19th for the Dragon men with a 26:11 clocking. Anna VanWechel headlined the MSUM women with a sixth place finish in 23:00 while Danielle Thompson was 20th at 23:36.
NDSU INVITE- - - MSUM men debuted in style at the North Dakota State University Invitational August 31, grabbing a share of first place with South Dakota State with 43 points while host NDSU finished third. Leading the Dragons was junior Scott Egeberg who placed second overall with a time of 20:36.56 over the four-mile course. Junior Kyle Eckhoff placed sixth overall in 21:10.81. MSU Moorhead women finished third overall with a score of 59 points behind NDSU (37) and SDSU (51). Freshman Anna VanWechel placed third with a time of 18:54.39 over the 5,000 meter course while sophomore Kari Bloch was eighth at 19:24.75.
DRAGON MEN- - - MSU Moorhead retains nine lettermen this fall, including senior Dustin Lillegaard (Bagley), juniors Kyle Eckhoff (Willmar), Scott Egeberg (Valley City, ND), Erik Hest (Moorhead), Leighton Reuss (Montevideo) and David Teige (Poplar, WI) and sophomores Jim Fay (Hugo), Wes Holtman (East Grand Forks) and Adam Kne (Moorhead). The Dragon men’s roster also includes juniors Cody Meyers (Bismarck, ND), Chris Sherve (Blaine) and freshmen Erik Hanson (Moorhead), Mike McConnell (Rice) and Kels Moreland (Lake Nebagamon, WI)
DRAGON WOMEN- - - MSUM women return six letterwinners, including senior Diane Miller (Fargo, ND), juniors Rayna Berndt (Bainville, MT), Michelle Hanson (Dickinson, ND) and Sara Rebenitsch (West Fargo, ND) and sophomores Kari Bloch (Willmar) and Ashley Roemer (Maple Lake). Barnier has also added junior Nicky Haverland (Perham), and freshmen Brook Harris (Fargo, ND), Sara Julsrud (Grand Forks, ND), Danielle Thompson (Grand forks, ND), Anna VanWechel (Fergus Falls) and Amanda Wickersham (East Grand Forks).
CAPTAINS- - - Dustin Lillegaard will captain the men’s team this fall while Rayna Berndt and Diane Miller will share captaincy honors for the Dragon women.
LAST FALL- - -MSUM men captured the 2006 NSIC title while Dragon women finished third. Dane Moreland placed second and Eckhoff fourth and collected All-NSIC honors in the men’s division.
NEXT- - - The 2007 NCAA II National Championships are scheduled for Saturday, November 14, at Joplin, MO.
