Michigan
EMU Classic
Loomis Finishes First to Lead Michigan at EMU Classic
10/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Fifth-year senior Chelsea Loomis (Traverse City, Mich./West) finished first with a career-best 5K time to lead the No. 3-ranked University of Michigan women's cross country team Friday (Oct. 21) at the non-scoring EMU Classic at Eastern Michigan's Eagle Crest Golf Course. With the weather being perfect for a cross-country race, at a beautiful 65 degrees, Loomis covered the 5,000-meter course in 17:51.4, taking more than 12 seconds off her previous best time of 18:04 set at the Notre Dame Invitational (Sept. 30).
Competing in her final cross country meet, senior Theresa Feldkamp (Lorain, Ohio/Amherst Steele) placed third in 18:00.2, while junior/sophomore Kalli Williams (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) finished fifth (18:14.0). Running unattached, freshman Heather Sirko (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) and sophomore Lisa Canty (Saline, Mich./Saline) placed second (17:55.3) and sixth (18:22.4), respectively.
Fifth-year Sarah Pizzo, who has completed her cross country eligibility but will run track in the spring, placed fourth as runners with U-M ties swept the top six spots.
Freshman Kelly Sampson (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) added another top-10 finish while running unattached, taking ninth (18:43.1), while fifth-year senior Chelsea Homan (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) also closed out her cross country career, placing 17th (19:27.0).
The Wolverines head to Falcon Heights, Minn., looking to secure their fourth consecutive Big Ten Conference championship on Sunday (Oct. 30) at 10:45 a.m. CST.
Top 5 Individuals
1. Chelsea Loomis, U-M 17:51.4 2. Heather Sirko, unattached 17:55.3 3. Theresa Feldkamp, U-M 18:00.2 4. Sarah Pizzo, unattached 18:04.2 5. Kallie Williams, U-M 18:14.0
Other Michigan Finishes
6. Lisa Canty, unattached 18:22.4 9. Kelly Sampson, unattached 18:43.1 12. Geena Gall, unattached 18:55.7 17. Chelsea Homan 19:27.0 18. Lisa Montgomery 19:29.9 19. Linda Montgomery 19:31.5
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Mike McGuire
On today's race ... "We had a great day to run. This is probably the nicest day of the year that we had to run in, so I think the kids really enjoyed being out and competing. We ran as a pack with the first five. For (Chelsea) Loomis and (Theresa) Feldkamp, that definitely was their best race of the year, so we got them ready to go, as far as it being a chance that one of them will be among the nine that are going to run in the Big Ten meet. Another solid race for Kalli Williams and we also ran some of the kids that we've been redshirting and I thought they all had good races with Heather Sirko kind of leading that group. It was an opportunity for the kids that are a little under the radar, as far as the redshirts, this is their Big Ten weekend, and I thought they did a nice job with that."
On the importance of finishing out the regular season strong before the Big Ten meet ... "The finish of the five that we had in there today, that ran both in uniform and unattached, they've had a lot to do with where we're at with the nine that we're taking to the Big Ten meet, so it's been a total team effort throughout the year and will continue to be as we go through the championship part of the season."
On hopes and expectations for Big Tens ... "We still have a couple of key workouts before now and then and it's just a matter of staying focused but keeping our emotions in check and doing what we've been doing all year long, and that's running as a team. If we do that, I think we're capable of winning again."
Contact: Joseph Conrad (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
