Michigan
NCAA Great Lakes Regional
Wolverines Place Second at Regional, Qualify for NCAAs
11/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- With three runners finishing in the top 20, the University of Michigan women's cross country team ran to second-place finish at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Saturday (Nov. 16) on Purdue University's 6,000-meter Varsity Cross Country Course. The second-place finish earned the Wolverines a spot at the NCAA Championships as the top two teams from all nine regional meets automatically qualify for the Nov. 25 national meet.
Big Ten Freshman of the Year Rebecca Walter (Beverly Hills, Mich./Groves HS) led the Maize and Blue across the finish line with an 11th-place showing at 21:44.9. It marks the second consecutive week the freshman led all Michigan harriers. Two weeks ago at the Big Ten Championships (Nov. 4) Walter finished fifth in 17:47.8 to help U-M win its fourth conference title and first since 1994.
Also finishing in the top 20 for the Wolverines were senior Jane Martineau (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant HS) and junior Lindsey Gallo (Freehold, N.J./Howell HS), who crossed the finish line 14th and 18th, respectively. Running in the final regional meet of her career, Martineau completed the 6,000-meter course in 21:46.1. Martineau's 14th-place finish bettered her 23rd-place finish in 2000 when she crossed the line in 21:54.7. Gallo was the third Wolverine to cross the line and bettered her regional finish from a year ago by 11 spots when she finished 18th at 21:54.5.
Michigan's four other finishers were junior Andrea Parker (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS), who placed 30th (22:10.7), senior captain Jeanne Spink (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea HS) in 36th (22:17.3), sophomore Chelsea Loomis (Traverse City, Mich./West HS), who crossed the line 46th (22:27.6), and sophomore Sarah Pizzo (Golden, Colo./Mullen HS), who finished 65th (22:57.3).
The Maize and Blue will return to Terre Haute, Ind., for the third time this season as the Wolverines run in the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2000, when they take to 6,000-meter LaVern Gibson Championship Course on Monday, Nov. 25, at 11 a.m.
Top 10 Teams
1. Notre Dame 63 2. MICHIGAN 107 3. Michigan State 120 4. Indiana 129 5. Ball State 136 6. Wisconsin 148 7. Marquette 156 8. Toledo 160 9. Miami (Ohio) 230 10. Butler 254
Top Five Individuals
1. Brianne Sholk, Toledo 20:47.1 2. Molly Huddle, Notre Dame 20:57.2 3. Lauren King, Notre Dame 21:01.9 4. Michelle Carson, MSU 21:18.9 5. Jamie Krzyminski, MSU 21:21.0
Michigan Individual Finishes
11. Rebecca Walter 21:44.9 14. Jane Martineau 21:46.1 18. Lindsey Gallo 21:54.5 30. Andrea Parker 22:10.7 36. Jeanne Spink 22:17.3 46. Chelsea Loomis 22:27.6 66. Sarah Pizzo 22:57.3
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Mike McGuire
On the team's performance ... "It was a really solid team effort and I am very proud of our girls today. This is a team which has run its best two races of the year during the championship portion of the season with the win at the Big Ten Championships two weeks ago and our runner-up finish here. This team has come a long way as we started the season unranked and now we are headed to the NCAA Championships. That speaks volumes for our girls and their will to win. They have kept that winning focus all year and now they have another week to run and another week to prove themselves."
N O T E S
• This marks the first time that the Wolverines have qualified for the NCAA Championships since 2000, when they finished 14th with 381 points.
• Freshman Rebecca Walter led the Maize and Blue crew for the second consecutive win and third time this season. Last week the freshman ran to a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and helped the Wolverines to their fourth conference title.
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
