Senior Brooke Beskau
The Gustavus women’s cross country team finished its 2011 season with a seventh place finish at the NCAA Central Region Meet on Saturday in Waverly, Iowa with a total of 189 points. Wartburg and Carleton qualified for the national meet taking home first and second, respectively. Wartburg tallied 63 points, while Carleton recorded 85.
The status quo didn’t change as senior Brooke Beskau and juniors Kate Eggers and Beth Hauer crossed the finish line as the top three runners for the Gusties. Beskau notched Gustavus’ quickest time in 22:55.1 for 23rd place, Eggers five seconds later in 23:00.5 for 26th and Hauer on the heels of Eggers in 23:03.0 for 28th.
“The senior group this year has really shown the younger class and truly exemplified what it’s like to dedicate yourself, commit yourself, have a great work ethic and love what you’re doing,” Head coach Dale Bahr acknowledged. “Every senior has been an ideal leader for this program. I can’t say enough about what this group has done.”
All seven of the Gustie finishers completed the 6K race under the 25-minute mark. First-year Rebecca Hare took 53rd in 23:50.5, senior Kim Rostvold 59th in 23:54.3, senior Danielle Burgmeier 110th in 24:54.7 and junior Meredith Bache-Wiig 112th in 24:56.4.
“I thought the women’s team was very relaxed and comfortable,” Bahr said. “They ran well, but not what we would consider their best. But they ran tough.”
Linda Keller of the University of Minnesota-Morris won the 188-participant event in a time of 21:44.6, qualifying for the national meet as an individual. Wartburg’s Alana Enabnit took second in 21:56.4 and Carleton’s Alison Smyth placed third in 22:01.9. Four other individuals qualified for the national meet – Emma Spoon of Luther (fourth – 22:04.5), St. Olaf’s Maren Westby (fifth – 22:09.7) and Emma Lee (sixth – 22:13.0), and St. Thomas’ Taylor Berg (seventh – 22:17.5).