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Nov. 1, 2008
2008 Mid-American Conference Women's Cross Country Championship Team Results
2008 Mid-American Conference Women's Cross Country Championship Individual Results
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The Miami University women's cross country team made history Saturday, winning its first-ever Mid-American Conference Championship. The RedHawks placed five runners among the top 13 finishers to easily outdistance Akron, 39-81.
Sophomore Rachel Patterson (Rochester, Minn.) finished third overall with a school-record time of 17:10.5 over the 5K course at Eagle Trace Golf Course in Ypsilanti, Mich. She was followed by Amanda Mirochna (Naperville, Ill.) in sixth place at 17:19.0. The duo were named first-team all-conference for their spots in the top seven.
Defending league champion Laura Neufarth, a junior who missed pre-Nationals two weeks ago with an injury, placed eighth with a time of 17:29.5, while junior Kelsey McHugh (Columbus) was ninth at 17:34.1. Katie Lenahan (Cincinnati) rounded out the scoring, by finishing 13th with a time of 17:41.5, nearly two minutes better than her previous-best 5K time. The trio picked up second-team all-league honors.
"It was a solid team effort," Head Coach Rita Arndt-Molis said. "We came out smart as a team and I give credit to every single runner. They each thought of the team instead of themselves."
There was drama early in the race as McHugh was knocked down in the first 1,000 meters, and took nearly another 1,000 to regain her composure and get back to the lead group. "(Kelsey) was critical to our success today," Ardnt-Molis added. "She made the difference out there."
While the scores of freshmen Maggie Bingham (Carmel, Ind.) and Julie Roche (Fort Wayne, Ind.) didn't count toward the team total, the contributions were immense. Finishing 15th (17:43.7) and 18th (17:43.7) overall, they topped the fourth- and fifth-placed runners from Akron, adding points to the Zips' total. Kelley Miller (Dublin) finished 24th overall with a time of 18:03.0, while Rebekah Hollander of Centreville was 33rd in 18:11.4. The latter two runners did not factor into the scores as only seven of the nine team members count for placing.
For her leadership, Arndt-Molis was named MAC Coach of the Year by her peers. But she was quick to reflect the support she has had in her first season at the helm of the program. "I was lucky enough to inherit a strong team and that is a reflection of my predecessor, Rich Ceronie," she admitted.
"Championships are won because you get a lot of support. That starts with (Athletic Director) Brad (Bates) and the rest of our administration."
The RedHawks look to continue their success in two weeks when they return to action at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional meet in West Lafayette, Ind. A top finish there would earn the team a spot in the national meet later this month in Terre Haute, Ind.
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