Written by Calvin Sports Information Director Jeff Febus
A spirited competition for the two qualifying team spots for the upcoming NCAA III Championships is expected at Saturday’s Division III Great Lakes Women’s Regional Championships at Calvin College. Four of the top 30 teams in the country including three of the top 13 are in this week’s regional field. Host Calvin is considered the pre-regional favorite as the Knights are ranked second behind top-ranked Amherst (MA). Calvin was considered the pre-regional favorite a year ago however but Case Western Reserve was the team that came home with the regional title, finishing four points ahead of the Knights. Ranked seventh nationally, Case Western Reserve went head-to-head with Calvin earlier this year at Calvin’s Gainey Athletic Complex and nearly came away with the win, finishing with 42 points, six points behind Calvin. The Spartans are powered by senior Esther Erb who took first at the Calvin Knight Invitational in September, was second at the 2006 Great Lakes Regional and was an All-American at the 2006 NCAA III Championships with a 34th place individual finish. Senior Christen Bowhers is another face to watch for Case Western as she was eight at last year’s regional and 62nd at the NCAA III Championships. The Spartans were the runner-ups at the University Athletic Association Championships two weeks ago, finishing 13 points behind third-ranked Washington University of St. Louis.
Calvin’s go-to runner is senior Christina Overbeck who was fourth at the Calvin Knight Invitational in September, second at the Great Lakes pre-regional in October and first at the MIAA Championships two weeks ago. Overbeck was also an NCAA III All-American in cross country in 2006, placing sixth at the national meet. She is joined up front by junior Calah Schlabach who was sixth at last year’s regional meet and third at the recent MIAA Championships. Also keep an eye out for Calvin junior Lauren Bergstrom who was 85th at the 2006 NCAA III Championships and fourth at both the pre-regional and MIAA Championships this past October. At the MIAA Championships two weeks ago, Calvin took first place with a team score of 19 points after winning the pre-regional invitational two weeks prior with 31 points.
Ranked 13th nationally, DePauw captured the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference title two weeks ago with a score of 29 points. The Tigers were second at the pre-regional invitational at Calvin with 50 points. The Tigers are led by Lauren Reich who was second at the SCAC Championships and third at the pre-regional invitational. Other DePauw runners to watch include Taylor Penrod, Laura Ardington and Julie Theibert who all posted top-10 finishes at the SCAC Championships.
The 30th-ranked Yellow Jackets of Baldwin-Wallace captured the Ohio Athletic Conference championships two weeks ago with a first place score of 27 points. The Yellow Jackets took five of the top 10 spots at the OAC meet led by Lindsay Brickner who won with a time of 23:19. Other top 10 finishers at the OAC meet were Ashley Scullion, D’Arcy Hlavin, Karen Coyne and Kristen Balogh. At the Calvin Knight Invitational in September, Scullion took sixth place on the 5K course with a time of 18:06.
Oberlin took second at the North Coast Athletic Conference championships on October 27 with a team score of 59 points, one point behind Allegheny. Ranked fifth in the Great Lakes Region, the Yeowomen are paced by NCAC individual champion Joanna Johnson. Meanwhile, Ohio Wesleyan and Kenyon tied for third at the NCAC Championships. Ohio Wesleyan is ranked sixth in the Great Lakes Region while Kenyon is ranked seventh. Kat Zimmerly is the top runner for Ohio Wesleyan while Lauren Bady leads the Ladies of Kenyon.
Anderson University is ranked seventh in the Great Lakes Region. The Ravens recently captured the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference title with a team score of 31 points. Senior Gwen Kemple is the leader of the Anderson pack. At the pre-regional invitational, Kemple stormed to a first place finish with a Gainey Athletic 6K course record time of 21:12. Kemple was also the HCAC Championships winner with a time of 21:52, finishing nearly two minutes ahead of runner-up Rachel Krasich of Rose-Hulman Institute.
teams in the country including three of the top 13 are in this week’s regional field. Host Calvin is considered the pre-regional favorite as the Knights are ranked second behind top-ranked Amherst (MA). Calvin was considered the pre-regional favorite a year ago however but Case Western Reserve was the team that came home with the regional title, finishing four points ahead of the Knights. Ranked seventh nationally, Case Western Reserve went head-to-head with Calvin earlier this year at Calvin’s Gainey Athletic Complex and nearly came away with the win, finishing with 42 points, six points behind Calvin. The Spartans are powered by senior Esther Erb who took first at the Calvin Knight Invitational in September, was second at the 2006 Great Lakes Regional and was an All-American at the 2006 NCAA III Championships with a 34th place individual finish. Senior Christen Bowhers is another face to watch for Case Western as she was eight at last year’s regional and 62nd at the NCAA III Championships. The Spartans were the runner-ups at the University Athletic Association Championships two weeks ago, finishing 13 points behind third-ranked Washington University of St. Louis.
Overbeck was also an NCAA III All-American in cross country in 2006, placing sixth at the national meet. She is joined up front by junior Calah Schlabach who was sixth at last year’s regional meet and third at the recent MIAA Championships. Also keep an eye out for Calvin junior Lauren Bergstrom who was 85th at the 2006 NCAA III Championships and fourth at both the pre-regional and MIAA Championships this past October. At the MIAA Championships two weeks ago, Calvin took first place with a team score of 19 points after winning the pre-regional invitational two weeks prior with 31 points.
Athletic Conference championships two weeks ago with a first place score of 27 points. The Yellow Jackets took five of the top 10 spots at the OAC meet led by Lindsay Brickner who won with a time of 23:19. Other top 10 finishers at the OAC meet were Ashley Scullion, D’Arcy Hlavin, Karen Coyne and Kristen Balogh. At the Calvin Knight Invitational in September, Scullion took sixth place on the 5K course with a time of 18:06.