Grinnell College won its league-best 17th Midwest Conference Women’s Cross Country title Saturday, coming up with an impressive effort to nip both Monmouth College and St. Norbert College in a tight race at Ripon, Wis.
The Pioneers finished with 50 points, four better than runner-up Monmouth and 10 in front of St. Norbert, to reclaim the title they surrendered in 2010. Evelyn Freeman of Grinnell was named the MWC Women's Coach of the Year after the meet.
All five Grinnell scorers earned all-conference honors, led by Sarah Burnell ’14 (lower picture) who was fourth. She had a clocking of 21:55.90 and now ranks fourth on Grinnell's all-time chart.
Hannah Colter ’12 added a fifth-place finish in 22:02.58 and now ranks seventh on Grinnell's all-time chart, and Stephanie Rouse ’13 was seventh in 22:14.85.
Other all-league runners were Meg Rudy ’14, who was 14th in 22:47.37, and Cassidy White ’14, 20th in 23:00.80. Rounding out Grinnell’s top seven were Diana Seer ’15, 21st in 23:14.78, and Metzere Bierlein ’13, 23rd in 23:21.63. Rudy is now 14th on Grinnell's all-time chart and White ranks 17th.
The individual champ was Megan O’Grady of Carroll University, who finished in 21:21.50.
The Pioneers will compete in the NCAA Division III Regional Meet on Nov. 12 in Waverly.
