Trailblazer Cross Country picks right time to have best showing of the year at Nationals
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Vincennes University men’s and women’s Cross Country teams took part in the NJCAA Division I National Championships Saturday morning at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee. The No.16-ranked VU women’s team kicked off the day with the 5k and came away with a 16th place finish as a team. The Trailblazer women were led by sophomore Daisie Kinnett (Wheatland, Ind.) who placed 47th overall with a time of 20:18.6.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Vincennes University men's and women's Cross Country teams took part in the NJCAA Division I National Championships Saturday morning at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.
The No.16-ranked VU women's team kicked off the day with the 5k and came away with a 16th place finish as a team.
The Trailblazer women were led by sophomore Daisie Kinnett (Wheatland, Ind.) who placed 47th overall with a time of 20:18.6.
Sophomore Hope Laughlin (Olney, Ill.) had a very impressive race to finish 87th with a time of 21:42.5.
Freshman Ada Peterman (Clay, Ill.) was right behind Laughlin at the finish line, coming in 89th with a time of 21:45.1.
Sophomore Brittany Page placed 110th with a finishing time of 22:25.3 and Makenna Pruett battled to place 132nd at 23:16.2.
"The course ran very slow today as a result of the heat and humidity in Florida," VU Assistant Cross Country Coach Tyler Steigenga said. "Both teams went out conservatively and did a great job moving up throughout the race."
"Daisie led the way for the women and managed to PR despite the tough conditions," Steigenga added. "She moved up 31 places from the first split taken just after the mile to finish 47th. Hope also had a PR and moved up 38 places."
The No. 13 VU men's team improved on their final ranking at Nationals, placing 12th overall Saturday in the 8k.
The Trailblazers were led by Region 24 Champion sophomore Mathew Keitany (Kenya) who came away with a 42nd place finish at 26:34.8.
Sophomores Ernest Momodu (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Ian Boit (Kimilili, Kenya) were next across the line, with Momodu finishing 61st overall at 27:31.7 and Boit finishing 67th at 27:44.2.
Freshman Isaac Stanford (Flora, Ill.) and sophomore Trenton Faulkner (Wheatland, Ind.) round out the VU scorers with Stanford placing 91st at 28:47.4 and Faulkner 93rd at 28:49.8.
Sophomore Reed Lawless (Kouts, Ind.) placed 130th at 30:13.4 and freshman Sol O'Blenis (Amboy, Ind.) placed 161st at 31:31.9.
"Mathew led the men's team, as he has all season," Steigenga said. "He moved up 26 places over the race to finish 42nd. Ernest and Ian did a great job of working together for most of the race and moved up 42 and 35 places respectively to finish as our second and third runners. Trenton stepped up big as our fifth man today. He went from 142nd place after the first split to finishing 93rd overall, passing 49 runners. He had a great finish down the homestretch and gave everything he had to make sure we held our position."
Members of the Trailblazer Cross Country teams will stick around Tallahassee for a few extra days to compete in the NJCAA Half Marathon Championships Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Miller's Landing Road.
"I'm proud of the effort we gave today," Steigenga said. "We fell short of getting our goal of Top 10 on the men's side and improving on our ranking for the women's team. We ran smart races but ran out of gas near the end. The men finished seven places better that last year and the women finished one better despite there being three additional teams in each race."
"Both teams took a big step forward this season," Steigenga added. "We have a coal of consistently being a Top 10 or better team each year. I look forward to working towards that goal with our returners and all of the runners we'll bring in next season."
FINAL RESULTS
WOMEN'S RESULTS
TEAM
Vincennes (16) – 418 points
INDIVIDUAL
Daisie Kinnett (47) – 20:18.6
Hope Laughlin (87) – 21:42.5
Ada Peterman (89) – 21:45.1
Brittany Page (110) – 22:25.3
Makenna Pruett (132) – 23:16.2
MEN'S RESULTS
TEAM
Vincennes (12) – 329 points
INDIVIDUAL
Mathew Keitany (42) – 26:34.8
Ernest Momodu (61) – 27:31.7
Ian Boit (67) – 27:44.2
Isaac Stanford (91) – 28:47.4
Trenton Faulkner (93) – 28:49.8
Reed Lawless (130) – 30:13.4
Sol O'Blenis (161) – 31:31.9