FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Results

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (Nov. 15, 2008) - Three Cardinals placed among the top 50, helping the North Central College women's cross country team to a eighth place finish at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional hosted by Augustana College at the Saukie Golf Course.

Amanda Laesch (Jr., Wheaton, Ill./North) and Megan Andracki (Sr., Carol Stream, Ill./West Chicago) finished back-to-back in 33rd and 34th places with just one tenth of a second separating the two. Laesch finished the 6,000 meter course in 23:00.1 while Andracki clocked a 23:00.2. Sarah Ahn (Fr., Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates), the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Freshman of the Year, placed 45th with a time of 23:10.9 while Kate Lueders (Fr., Naperville, Ill./North) crossed the finish line in 56th. Alicia Zimmerman (Fr., Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville South) rounded out the Cardinal top five, placing 65th overall. Lueders traversed the course in 23:22.5 while Zimmerman turned in a 23:36.8.

UW-Eau Claire won the team title, scoring 108 points. UW-La Crosse finished second, scoring 115 points and securing the regions final automatic bid for the National Championships. Washington University in Saint Louis was third with a score of 117 while CCIW Champion Wheaton College was fourth, posting a 130. North Central placed eighth among the 43 team field with a team tally of 233. Wash U and Wheaton must wait until Sunday to see if they are one of the 16 teams to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships held in Hanover, Ind. next weekend.

Ayla Mitchell of UW-Oshkosh was the individual champion, finishing the course in just 21:28.2.

Saturday's meet was the final cross country race of the season for the Cardinals.