Bobcats Dominate, Win Ninth Women's MAC Title
Oct. 28, 2006
2006 MAC Championship Results
GRAND ISLAND, NY - The Ohio University women and Eastern Michigan men claimed the team titles on Saturday as the Mid-American Conference Cross Country Championships were held at Beaver Island State Park. The Bobcats men finished fifth among nine teams. A soaking rain throughout Friday night caused the course on Grand Island to become muddy with constant 20-30 mph winds and temperatures in the low 40s during the races creating cold conditions for the runners. The rain dissipated during the men's race while the women's race was contested without rain. In the women's 5K championship, the Bobcats placed their five scorers among the top 15 placers to clinch their league-best ninth women's team title. Junior Carime Reinhart (Bascom, Ohio) finished first among 101 women runners and won the women's individual 5K title in 20:02.90. Ohio's other four scorers included senior Andrea Maas (Cincinnati, Ohio), freshmen Kari Summers (Troy, Ohio) and Annie Beecham (Granvelle, Ohio) and sophomore Rachel Beakes (Waterville, Ohio). Maas finished third in 20:39, Summers took sixth in 20:47.90 while Beecham and Beakes placed 12th and 15th with times of 21:09 and 21:17.60.
"The women ran a great team race," Head Coach Clay Calkins said. "They stepped up and overcame the conditions. The weather conditions were about as bad as they get and the women didn't let that affect their performance. They did a great job." The Ohio women also won more than just a team title at the MAC Championships. Reinhart, Maas and Summers earned Women's First Team All-MAC honors, while Beecham earned Women's Second Team All-MAC honors. The Ohio men finished fifth among nine teams in the men's 8K championship. The Bobcats were led senior Brian King (Richfield, Minn.) and sophomore Shamus Eaton (Uniontown, Ohio). In a field of 76 runners, King, who also received Second Team All-MAC honors, finished 13th with a time of 28:26.10 and Eaton finished 16th in 28:32.55. "The men race a good race," said Coach Calkins. "It was a little frustrating to finish in fifth place, when fourth was so close. But at the same time, they did a great job and we are happy with their performances. We have a young team and we have nowhere to go but up." Eastern Michigan's John Goodridge and Ohio's Clay Calkins were named by their peers as the MAC Men's and Women's Coaches of the Year, respectively. "It's an honor to receive the Coach of the Year award," Calkins said. "I feel that all the honor for the award should go to our team, because they are the reasons why we won the award. The Coach of the Year honor is pretty much meaningless compared to what the kids won for Ohio University as well as themselves." Men's team scores: Eastern Michigan 23, Central Michigan 64, Kent State 72, Miami 144, Ohio 148, Akron 156, UB 163, Bowling Green 208, Toledo 256. Women's team scores: Ohio 37, Bowling Green 113, Akron 129, Toledo 138, Ball State 151, Western Michigan 159, Central Michigan 172, Miami 177, Eastern Michigan 185, Kent State 240, UB 254, Northern Illinois 277. Men's First Team All-MAC: Corey Nowitzke (Eastern Michigan), Josh Perrin (Eastern Michigan), David Brent (Eastern Michigan), Jason Headman (Akron), Ben Wietmarschen (Kent State), Jeff Powers (Central Michigan), Josh Karanja (Eastern Michigan). Men's Second Team All-MAC: Matt Loiselle (Central Michigan), Ryan Spellman (Kent State), Neal Naughton (Eastern Michigan), Andrew Manning (Central Michigan), Curtis Vollmar (Eastern Michigan), Brian King (Ohio), Curtis Baldwin (Eastern Michigan). Men's MAC Coach of the Year: John Goodridge (Eastern Michigan). Women's First Team All-MAC:: Carime Reinhart (Ohio), Mary Veith (UB), Andrea Mass (Ohio), Kim Settle (Bowling Green), Sediah Erskine (Akron), Kari Summers (Ohio), Jamie Roflow (Bowling Green). Women's Second Team All-MAC: Stephanie Blackstone (Kent State), Jackie Rivard (Central Michigan), Dagmara Handzlik (Toledo), Jennie Stoll (Miami), Annie Beecham (Ohio), Kalli Williams (Eastern Michigan), Nicole Camp (Toledo). Women's MAC Coach of the Year: Clay Calkins (Ohio). |
