Mudders! That's what we'll call the cross country teams from now on. Mudders!
On a frigid morning after snowfall, on a wet track, sodden with melting snow, the men's and women's cross country teams won their respective divisions at the Martin Luther College Invitational at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, Minn.
On the women's side first year Linda Keller and sophomore Kacy Nehowig went one-two, while four runners on the men's side placed in the top 10.
But the victories were only one part of the story.
On the women's side, seven runners set personal records for the 6k, including first year Emily Lawrence (dropped 30 seconds), first year Kate Campbell (50 seconds), sophomore Cristina Montanez (20 seconds), first year Ashleigh Thompson (30 seconds), senior Kaia Jans (20 seconds), sophomore Sonja Smidt (10 seconds), and junior Rebecca Baldridge (1 minute)
Juniors Luke Toso and Andrew Rehmann paced the men's team placing fifth and sixth respectively. Captain Ian Philbrick finished seventh followed in ninth by teammate sophomore Matt Ellison, who is returning to form after a two-week illness.
Like the women's team, personal records abounded among the men as well. First year runners Mike Unger (1 minute, 20 seconds), Jacob Von Rentzell (nearly three minutes), and Matt Huseby (2 minutes, 20 seconds) all improved their best times.
UMM Runners--Women's Division (6k)
1. Linda Keller, 23:04
2. Kacy Nehowig, 25:01
7. Katie Schneiderman, 25:47
10. Debbie Schneiderman, 26:55
11. Gemma Miltich, 27:00
15. Emily Lawrence, 27:38
16. Cristina Montanez, 27:46
17. Kate Campbell, 27:51
19. Mallory King, 27:54
21. Sonja Smidt, 29:19
24. Caitlin Percy, 29:332
29. Ashleigh Thompson, 30:38
30. Kaia Jans, 30:44
32. Katie Saddison, 31:18
37. Rebecca Baldridge, 32:45
UMM Runners--Men's Division (8k)
5. Luke Toso, 28:43
6. Andrew Rehmann, 28:48
7. Ian Philbrick, 29:27
9. Matt Ellison, 30:08
12. Dugan Flanders, 30:49
15. Nick Fox, 30:57
16. Greg Schumacher, 31:03
17. Denver Rogalla, 31:17
19. Jacob Von Rentzell, 31:36
20. Andrew Birnstengel, 31:44
22. Matt Huseby, 32:14
27. John Jones, 33:03
28. David Sampers, 33:08
33. Zach Smith, 35:10
34. Mike Unger, 35:10
