Webster and Greenville Set To Battle For Crown Once Again
Webster University and Greenville University are once again set to do battle for the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Women's Cross Country crown this weekend. The two programs finished one-two in last year's championship and were selected as the two favorites in this year's conference preseason poll.
Defending champion Webster features a deep roster which has seen 12 different runners compete at some point this fall. Although the Gorloks graduated their top two finishers from last year's championship team they still have a pair of top ten finishers in Lauren Coleman (5th) and Meredith Sowers (7th). Coleman, Sowers, and Kalleigh Linthicum have all broken the 21-minute mark in their 6K races this season.
Greenville's 12 person roster is headed by Shirley Estes. Estes has two top team finishes with a team-best 6K time of 20:46 in the ONU Midwest Classic earlier this season. Jordie File, Kori Nesbit, Sheridan Noll, and Rachel Stutzman will help fill out the Panthers lineup after racing in last year's championship.
Westminster College placed 3rd at last year's championship thanks in large part to two-time SLIAC Champion Jessie Kuykendall. Kuykendall will be looking to make history this weekend as the first runner to win three conference titles in conference history. Kuykendall, however, missed her team's last race due to injury and will need to shake off the rust after missing a month since her last competition.
Principia College will be looking to improve on their 4th place championship finish from last fall. Emme Schaefer has paced the Panthers in all five races this fall, including a best time of 24:38. She has run below 25-minutes twice this fall, the only Panther to reach that mark although Allegra Pierce has been consistent with all four of her 6K races falling in the 26-minute mark.
Kelsey Phillips will be a key runner to watch for Spalding University. Phillips has run in just one 6K race this fall, out of her four meets. However, she set a school record in her last competition, a 5K, with a time of 19:35. Victoria Shedron should also be near the top for the Golden Eagles.
MacMurray College has been preparing for the championships with a busy schedule, competing in six races this fall. Hailey Alt has led the Highlanders each time including a best of 28:49 at the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational. Lizzy Staub should help push Alt in the championship race.
Fontbonne University returns an experienced squad for the championship with four of six runners having competed last fall. Sarah Rhoads was the team's top finisher last year but has missed the last two races leading up to the championship. Sisters Colleen and Katie Gosser have finished within 30-seconds of each other in all four races this fall while Emily Bay comes into this weekend with a best time of 25:43. The Griffins will be led by freshman Desiree Brooks, who has six top team finishes this season.
Blackburn College is paced by Kathryn Chase. Chase has been the first Beaver to cross the finish line in three of her team's four races this fall. Her personal best time is 19:20, in a 4K, and she is coming off a time of 27:43 in her only 6K race this year.
Iowa Wesleyan University will be led by the duo of Allison Morris and Sierra Howardson. Morris has closed three 6K times under 29-minutes this fall. Howardson meanwhile has two SLIAC Runner of the Week awards this season and led the Tigers in all five races. Howardson has a personal best time of 23:34 which was set at the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational.
The 2018 SLIAC Women's Cross Country Championship will be held Saturday, October 27 at Litchfield Country Club in Litchfield, Illinois with race time set for 10:15 a.m.
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