2006 NCAA Division III Cross Country Central Regional Preview

Mike Ludwig
November 9, 2006

St. Olaf College will host the 2006 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Cross Country Central Regional on Saturday. The men race will begin at 11 a.m. and the women's at 12 p.m.

MEN'S TEAMS
Five of the top 16 teams in the latest coaches poll are favorites for the men's team title.

The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's best, Saint John's University and Hamline University should compete for a top spot. The Johnnies, ranked 10th in the latest national coaches poll, won the conference title on Oct. 28. No. 12 Hamline finished second at the MIAC's and its depth could help in the larger regional field.

The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference brings No. 13 Wartburg College and no. 15 Luther College. Each will contend. Luther won the IIAC title but Wartburg, like Hamline, has depth that could lead the Knights to a regional crown.

Nebraska Wesleyan, winners of the Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships, enters as the 16th ranked team in the country.

The top teams met at Jim Drew's Invitational in LaCrosse in October. Hamline was the top finisher in the group, followed by Wartburg, Saint John's and Nebraska Wesleyan.

MEN'S INDIVIDUALS
Travis Bristow of Hamline, winner of the MIAC's, has been solid all season. Ben Grant of Loras, who won the IIAC's, will contend as well. Chris Dunker, NWU's top runner, Brian Chenoweth of Wartburg and Mitch VanBruggen of Saint John's will also make a run at the individual title.

WOMEN'S TEAMS
No. 13 Luther College and No. 18 Grinnell College are the favorites for the women's team crown. Luther won the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship handily and finished fourth in the highly touted UW-LaCrosse Tori Neubauer Invitational in mid October.

Grinnell won the Midwest Conference Championships by an even larger margin.

No. 24 Nebraska Wesleyan of the Great Plains and the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's University of St. Thomas, ranked 21st, should also race for a top spot.

A number of teams, including host and 34th-ranked St. Olaf, will have a shot for fifth. No. 33 Wartburg College of the IIAC, No. 31 Carleton College and Macalester College should also contend for the fifth spot.

INDIVIDUAL
Defending champion Hailey Harren of Gustavus is the favorite. Harren dominated at the MIAC's, finishing over a minute and a half ahead of the next finisher.

The battle for 2nd could be more interesting. Sarah Spencer and Sara Brady, Grinnell's one-two punch, should factor. Spencer was the Midwest's champion.

Nebraska Wesleyan's Brittany Hubbard won the GPAC's and was a top 10 regional performer last year. IIAC Champion Janet Dobyns of Luther will be a strong contender for a Top 5 finish. Jill Wagamen will lead Wartburg, she finished 2nd at IIACs. Nikki Umhoefer of Bethel and Katie Theisen of UST finished second and third at the MIAC's. Elise Bennett of Luther will also be near the front. She finished 3rd at the IIACs.

Contact media relations specialist Mike Ludwig at (507) 786-3834 or ludwigm@stolaf.edu.