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| By Chad Hensley, NKU Sports Information BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Drew Harris’s performance was the lone bright spot Saturday for either of the Northern Kentucky University cross country teams as the Norse ran at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional meet but failed to qualify for the national championships. Harris, a native of Alexandria, Ky., completed the 10-kilometer race on Ferris State University's Katke Golf Course in a time of 32:35.4 and good enough for a 13th-place finish out of the 130-harrier field. Jenna Siemer was the top finisher to the women’s team as she completed the six-kilometer course in 23:18.4, which was good enough for 19th-place out of the 132-runner field. Siemer missed making the All-Region team by about 30 seconds as the top 15 athletes in each race were given the honors. Chris Hammer (Grand Valley State) narrowly edged Jaime Villa Zapatero (Drury) for medalist honors in the men’s race by 0.8 seconds. Hammer finished with a time of 31:52.8 while Villa Zapatero ran a 31:52.6. Rachelle Malatte (Wayne State) earned medalist honors in the women’s race by running a 21:19.1 and edging GVSU’s Megan Maceratini by 12.7 seconds. Ben Foley (25th; 32:59.3), Matthew Shoulta (30th; 33:10.3), Ryne Smith (40th; 33:27.1), Eddie Griffin (53rd; 33:39.5), Zach Koehler (59th; 33:49.8), and Eric Dwyer (82nd; 34:25.2) completed the roster for the NKU men’s team. Janice Laker (48th; 24:06.2), Jerrica Maddox (65th; 24:37.4), Kira Cooper (95th; 25:20.3), Tarah Cole (102nd; 25:38.4), and Rose Morgan (127th; 26:59.0) rounded out the roster for the NKU women’s team. As a group, the men’s team finished in seventh place with 161 points while the women had 319 points. GVSU swept both the men’s and women’s meet and will be joined at the nationals by WSU (both men and women), Ferris State (women only), Southern Indiana (men only), and Ashland (men only). Joining Villa Zapatera in advancing to the nationals as individual performers are Hillsdale's Tim Jagielski in the men's field and Wisconsin-Parkside's Jessica Monson and Southern Indiana's Mary Ballinger in the women's division. The NCAA Division II National Championships will be held on Nov. 22 in Slippery Rock, Pa. |