UMD Women Finish 10th

William Anderson – NSO

Junior Emi Trost and senior Breanna Colbenson both turned in All-American performances for the third time in as many years and the University of Minnesota Duluth finished 10^th among 32 teams at the NCAA Division II Championships Saturday morning in St. Leo, Fla.

UMD was the lone team to place two runners in the Top 7 as Trost took fourth – the highest national finish ever by a Bulldog – with a time of 20:32.53 while Colbenson was seventh at 20:38.3 in her NCAA II cross country farewell. Morgan Place, with a fifth-place showing in 2010, held the previous UMD’s national meet high.

Grand Valley State University’s Kendra Foley claimed the individual title (her second in three seasons) in the 240-runner race with a 20:01.16 while helping the Lakers win their fourth team championship in the past five years.  Grand Valley State (116 points) was followed in the team competition by Adams State University (139 pts.) and Western State University (169 points).

The Bulldogs (224 pts.) also got points from sophomore Abby Moore (92^nd place; 22:17.0), junior Amber Seidenkranz (106^th place; 22:24.0) and sophomore Meg Borowski (131^st place; 22:39.40). UMD’s other two entrants, freshmen Melissa Drenckhahn (23:23.5) and Sarah Harrison (23:58.6) wound up 181^st and 204^th, respectively. Of that group, all but Seidenkranz were making their NCAA II cross country championship debuts.

“Today’s race was physically and mentally challenging, but I was proud of our team’s effort,” said UMD head coach Joanna Warmington. “It was a hot and hilly course and  to have two of our ladies in place in the Top 7 is quite an accomplishment.

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