2012 UMAC Women’s Cross Country Coaches’ Poll
1. 47 Points – College of St. Scholastica (5 First Place Votes)
2. 45 Points – University of Minnesota Morris (3)
3. 35 Points – Martin Luther College
4. 28 Points – Northwestern College (Minn.)
5. 23 Points – North Central University (Minn.)
6. 22 Points – Northland College
7. 18 Points – Bethany Lutheran College
8. 7 Points – Crown College
ST. PAUL – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Women’s Cross Country coaches predicted no change atop the league in Friday’s release of their annual preseason poll, as the College of St. Scholastica was picked to win the conference championship in 2012. The Saints enter this year’s campaign with a streak of 11 straight UMAC titles, well beyond any other team in the conference since the league recognized a champion in women’s cross country in 1989.
1. College of St. Scholastica Saints
2011 UMAC Finish: 1st
Runners Returning: 13
Runners Lost: 7
St. Scholastica returns most of its top runners from a season ago as its shoots for a dozen years of dominance in the conference. Junior Chelsea Johnson is expected to lead the pack this season after coming on strong towards the end of last season and performing well during the track & field season. Johnson placed third at last year’s UMAC Cross Country Championships and ran a personal-best time at the NCAA Regional championships. Seniors Kristen Gronbeck and Stacey Gustafson also return as Gronbeck placed fifth at the UMAC meet last season. Sophomore Molly Burgstahler was an All-UMAC performer as a freshman as was fellow sophomore returnee Izzy Plantenberg. For newcomers, Saints head coach Steve Pfingsten expects Andrea Mogren to be in contention at the top and the same goes for Megan Pulver.
2. University of Minnesota Morris Cougars
2011 UMAC Finish: 2nd
Runners Returning: 5
Runners Lost: 1
Minnesota Morris returns two of its top runners in this season as senior Linda Keller and sophomore Lanay Walker look to continue their already successful Cougar careers. Morris finished close behind St. Scholastica in the coaches’ poll, earning three place votes while coming in just two points behind the Saints. Keller, a three-time participant at the NCAA Championships, hopes to make it back to the big dance for a fourth appearance. Keller is a two-time cross country All-American, three-time UMAC Champion, and has numerous UMAC Runner of the Week awards in her name. Walker also looks to improve, coming off her freshman season where she placed 16th at the UMAC Championships and ran a personal best at the NCAA Regionals. In terms of newcomers, the Cougars welcome freshman Rachel Wingenbach, a four-time state participant in the North Dakota state meet.
3. Martin Luther College Knights
2011 UMAC Finish: 3rd
Runners Returning: 9
Runners Lost: 0
Third place Martin Luther is dreaming big this season as the Knights return their top nine runners from last season’s team that finished third place at the UMAC Championship. 2011 All-UMAC performers Robin Nommensen and Emilee Koltz finished third and eighth, respectively, at last year’s conference finale and return to lead the 2012 squad. Amanda Walter, Julie Kent and Hannah Hackbarth lead the rest of the returning runners from last season to provide strong depth up and down the roster. MLC’s Brooke King headlines a group of newcomers this season, and has a chance to be one of the top runners on the team in her rookie campaign.
4. Northwestern College (Minn.) Eagles
2011 UMAC Finish: 4th
Runners Returning: 4
Runners Lost: 2
There is a lot of young energy surrounding the Northwestern women’s cross country program this season. The Eagles have no seniors and just two juniors on their 2012 roster after graduating Marie Abeler and Marit Stutrud from last year’s group that finished fourth at the UMAC Championship. Returning for her second season in an NWC uniform is Allie Hadley. Hadley posted a 25:06.20 6K mark at last year’s UMAC race, earning all-conference recognition in the process. Hadley also finished out her freshman debut with a season-best 20:34.37 time on the 6K course at the NCCAA Cross Country Championships in November. Junior Sammy Wong and sophomore Danea Zeigle will provide experience to the Eagles in 2012 after both running a sub-23 minute 5K during last year’s campaign. Along with Hadley, Wong and Zeigle headline the group of Eagle returners in the 6K race, with 2011 times of 25:38.38 and 26:06.52 respectively.
5. North Central University (Minn.) Rams
2011 UMAC Finish: 6th
Runners Returning: 5
Runners Lost: 2
North Central is set for a strong run in 2012 despite having to replace last year’s UMAC runner-up and three time all-conference runner Catherine Mead. Five of the top seven from 2011’s Rams squad return to combine with a good group of recruits and first-year runners to give NCU a shot at improving from its sixth place team finish at last year’s conference championship meet. Junior Kara Montanez returns after missing all of 2011 with an injury. She was eighth at the 2010 UMAC Championship her freshman season and comes in ready to challenge for the Rams top spot. Montanez will be pushed by talented freshman Annalise Schroder, who was a two-time state championship qualifier in Wisconsin. Sophomores Rachel Hovland and Amanda Schexneider are back after solid freshman years where they were both top 45 runners at the 2011 UMAC Meet.
6. Northland College LumberJills
2011 UMAC Finish: 5th
Runners Returning: 4
Runners Lost: 1
Northland is excited to build off of last year’s steady placement in conference competition under second-year head coach Blaise Sopiwnik. After coming in fifth place for two consecutive years, the LumberJills are hoping to break into a top four spot at the UMAC Championship in October. Seniors Katherine Boyk and Samantha Lucheck will lead Northland in 2012. Boyk finished 18th at last year’s conference title race with a time of 26:00 flat, while Lucheck crossed the finish line at the same race in 27:55.
7. Bethany Lutheran College Vikings
2011 UMAC Finish: 7th
Runners Returning: 3
Runners Lost: 2
Bethany Lutheran team is looking to improve upon its seventh place finish in the UMAC Championship last season. Vikings runners may have peaked one race too early in 2011 as BLC’s best times were recorded the weekend before the conference meet. Junior Bre Perlwitz ran a 26:22 for her best time at the Crown Invitational. Junior Marta Krause’s best time, 26:28, also at the Crown meet. Senior Breanna Londgren posted a 27.05 at the same invitational for her best finish of the year. The rest of the Vikings roster is filled with one sophomore and three freshmen looking to fill the shoes of Laura Anderson, who will not be returning this year. In 2011, Anderson broke school records and was the consistent top finisher for the Vikings. Two freshmen to keep an eye on are Sierra Batalden and Jessica Mueller.
8. Crown College Storm
2011 UMAC Finish: 8th
Runners Returning: 5
Runners Lost: 0
Crown women’s cross country program will move forward this season under the new leadership of head coach Ryan Chmielewski. The Storm program will return five runners from a year ago in senior Maranatha Elmhorst, sophomore Alecia Johnson, and juniors Mubeena Ali, Sarah Graham and Aubrey Huss. Crown also welcomes a pair of freshman, Sarah Holmquist and Bethany Mack, to the team. The freshman pair has led the pack in preseason practice and will look to have strong seasons in 2012.
All eight teams will run in various races throughout September and October before meeting at Flandreau State Park in New Ulm for the previously mentioned 2012 UMAC Championship race on Saturday, October 27.