TicketsCINCINNATI - Madison Dunlap led the women and Nick Grismer was the top finisher for the men as the University of Cincinnati cross country teams raced to 21st-place finishes at the 2017 NCAA Great Lakes Region Championships Friday in Terre Haute, Ind. The meet, which was held at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course, served as the selection tool for the NCAA Championships that will be run next week.
// QUICK NOTES
• Both teams placed 21st overall in their respective competitions, with the women scoring 614 points in the 6,000m race and the men scoring 586 in the 10,000m event
• Madison Dunlap led the women, finishing 99th overall in her first race at the regional meet, and was the top finisher for UC for fourth time in 2017
• Hannah Markel recorded a personal-best time of 22:38.9, which lowers her lifetime best by 13.8 seconds
• Nick Grismer was the top finisher for the men, placing 89th overall, to mark the third time he has led the way for UC in 2017
• Three newcomers ran their first collegiate 10,000m runs to record personal bests, including Steven Zombory, Ryan Guenthner and Matt Stump
• Overall, two Bearcats improved their finishes from last year by at least 30 places as Tessa Ward finished 148th this year, an improvement of 37 positions (185), while Grismer's 89th-place showing is an improvement of 30 positions
// TEAM STANDINGS
Both Bearcats teams placed 21st overall as Michigan and Michigan State claimed the Top 2 finishes in both races to earn automatic berths into the NCAA Cross Country Championships. The women scored 614 points to equal their placement from last year with #8 Michigan (71) capturing the title. #21 Michigan State (87) earned the second automatic berth with #17 Wisconsin (93), #27 Eastern Michigan (146) and Indiana (148) rounding out the Top 5. On the men's side, the Bearcats scored 586 points to place 21st with #15 Michigan State winning the title with 68 points. The second automatic berth went to #10 Michigan (79) while the Top 5 was rounded out by #25 Wisconsin (84), Eastern Michigan (113) and Purdue (136).
// WOMEN'S 6,000m CHAMPIONSHIP
For the fourth time this year, Dunlap was the first Bearcat to cross the finish line, this time in 22:29.7, to place 99th overall. Her finish marks the 31st time a UC woman has placed in the Top 100 since 2000 (when the NCAA moved the race to 6,000m instead of 5,000m). She was followed across the line by Markel, who ran 22:38.9 to finish 107th and lower her personal-best time by nearly 14 seconds in the process.
The Bearcats' Top 5 was rounded out by Sam Mikula, Tessa Ward and Meg Westerheide. Mikula, a true freshman, placed 113th in the first regional race, turning in a time of 22:44.8. Ward ran 23:18.4 to place 148th overall, which is an improvement of 37 places from last year's race. Westerheide finished in 157th place with a time of 23:28.1. UC had two other runners in the race with Lianne Masquelier finishing 165th in 23:38.1 while Emma Hensley started the race, but did not finish.
// MEN'S 10,000m CHAMPIONSHIP
Grismer was the top finisher once again for the men as he covered the 10,000m course in 32:51.6 to place 89th overall. His finish, which is an improvement of 30 places from last year, makes him the 78th man in program history to finish in the Top 80 at the regional meet, while his time is an 8.5 second improvement over his previous lifetime best. Two newcomers followed Grismer across the line as Zombory (33:20.6) and Guenthner (33:40.7) placed 110th and 128th overall, respectively.
The Top 5 for the team was rounded out by Seamus Collins (34:00.2) in 136th-place while Michael Vitucci (34:06.9) finished in 139th-place. The Bearcats had two more runners in the race with Matt Stump (34:43.9) placing 156th overall while Spencer Clark (35:33.7) was 172nd.
// NEXT UP
The regional competition marked the end of the 2017 cross country season for the Bearcats. The runners will now turn their attention toward gearing up for the 2018 indoor track and field season that will get underway December 8 in Bloomington, Ind., at the Hoosier Open.
2017 NCAA GREAT LAKES REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS
LaVern Gibson Championship Course • Terre Haute, Ind.
Race #1 • Women's 6,000m Championship
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. #8 Michigan - 71
2. #21 Michigan State - 87
3. #17 Wisconsin - 93
4. #27 Eastern Michigan - 146
5. Indiana - 148
21. CINCINNATI - 614
31 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
99. Madison Dunlap - 22:29.7
107. Hannah Markel - 22:38.9 - PR
113. Sam Mikula - 22:44.8
148. Tessa Ward - 23:18.4
157. Meg Westerheide - 23:27.2
165. Lianne Masquelier - 23:38.1
DNF Emma Hensley
223 finishers
Race #2 • Men's 10,000m Championship
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. #15 Michigan State - 68
2. #10 Michigan - 79
3. #25 Wisconsin - 84
4. Eastern Michigan - 113
5. Purdue - 136
21. CINCINNATI - 586
26 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
89. Nick Grismer - 32:51.6 - PR
110. Steven Zombory - 33:20.6 - PR
128. Ryan Guenthner - 33:40.7 - PR
136. Seamus Collins - 34:00.2
139. Michael Vitucci - 34:06.9
156. Matt Stump - 34:43.9 - PR
172. Spencer Clark - 35:33.7
187 finishers
// QUICK NOTES
• Both teams placed 21st overall in their respective competitions, with the women scoring 614 points in the 6,000m race and the men scoring 586 in the 10,000m event
• Madison Dunlap led the women, finishing 99th overall in her first race at the regional meet, and was the top finisher for UC for fourth time in 2017
• Hannah Markel recorded a personal-best time of 22:38.9, which lowers her lifetime best by 13.8 seconds
• Nick Grismer was the top finisher for the men, placing 89th overall, to mark the third time he has led the way for UC in 2017
• Three newcomers ran their first collegiate 10,000m runs to record personal bests, including Steven Zombory, Ryan Guenthner and Matt Stump
• Overall, two Bearcats improved their finishes from last year by at least 30 places as Tessa Ward finished 148th this year, an improvement of 37 positions (185), while Grismer's 89th-place showing is an improvement of 30 positions
// TEAM STANDINGS
Both Bearcats teams placed 21st overall as Michigan and Michigan State claimed the Top 2 finishes in both races to earn automatic berths into the NCAA Cross Country Championships. The women scored 614 points to equal their placement from last year with #8 Michigan (71) capturing the title. #21 Michigan State (87) earned the second automatic berth with #17 Wisconsin (93), #27 Eastern Michigan (146) and Indiana (148) rounding out the Top 5. On the men's side, the Bearcats scored 586 points to place 21st with #15 Michigan State winning the title with 68 points. The second automatic berth went to #10 Michigan (79) while the Top 5 was rounded out by #25 Wisconsin (84), Eastern Michigan (113) and Purdue (136).
// WOMEN'S 6,000m CHAMPIONSHIP
For the fourth time this year, Dunlap was the first Bearcat to cross the finish line, this time in 22:29.7, to place 99th overall. Her finish marks the 31st time a UC woman has placed in the Top 100 since 2000 (when the NCAA moved the race to 6,000m instead of 5,000m). She was followed across the line by Markel, who ran 22:38.9 to finish 107th and lower her personal-best time by nearly 14 seconds in the process.
The Bearcats' Top 5 was rounded out by Sam Mikula, Tessa Ward and Meg Westerheide. Mikula, a true freshman, placed 113th in the first regional race, turning in a time of 22:44.8. Ward ran 23:18.4 to place 148th overall, which is an improvement of 37 places from last year's race. Westerheide finished in 157th place with a time of 23:28.1. UC had two other runners in the race with Lianne Masquelier finishing 165th in 23:38.1 while Emma Hensley started the race, but did not finish.
// MEN'S 10,000m CHAMPIONSHIP
Grismer was the top finisher once again for the men as he covered the 10,000m course in 32:51.6 to place 89th overall. His finish, which is an improvement of 30 places from last year, makes him the 78th man in program history to finish in the Top 80 at the regional meet, while his time is an 8.5 second improvement over his previous lifetime best. Two newcomers followed Grismer across the line as Zombory (33:20.6) and Guenthner (33:40.7) placed 110th and 128th overall, respectively.
The Top 5 for the team was rounded out by Seamus Collins (34:00.2) in 136th-place while Michael Vitucci (34:06.9) finished in 139th-place. The Bearcats had two more runners in the race with Matt Stump (34:43.9) placing 156th overall while Spencer Clark (35:33.7) was 172nd.
// NEXT UP
The regional competition marked the end of the 2017 cross country season for the Bearcats. The runners will now turn their attention toward gearing up for the 2018 indoor track and field season that will get underway December 8 in Bloomington, Ind., at the Hoosier Open.
2017 NCAA GREAT LAKES REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS
LaVern Gibson Championship Course • Terre Haute, Ind.
Race #1 • Women's 6,000m Championship
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. #8 Michigan - 71
2. #21 Michigan State - 87
3. #17 Wisconsin - 93
4. #27 Eastern Michigan - 146
5. Indiana - 148
21. CINCINNATI - 614
31 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
99. Madison Dunlap - 22:29.7
107. Hannah Markel - 22:38.9 - PR
113. Sam Mikula - 22:44.8
148. Tessa Ward - 23:18.4
157. Meg Westerheide - 23:27.2
165. Lianne Masquelier - 23:38.1
DNF Emma Hensley
223 finishers
Race #2 • Men's 10,000m Championship
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. #15 Michigan State - 68
2. #10 Michigan - 79
3. #25 Wisconsin - 84
4. Eastern Michigan - 113
5. Purdue - 136
21. CINCINNATI - 586
26 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
89. Nick Grismer - 32:51.6 - PR
110. Steven Zombory - 33:20.6 - PR
128. Ryan Guenthner - 33:40.7 - PR
136. Seamus Collins - 34:00.2
139. Michael Vitucci - 34:06.9
156. Matt Stump - 34:43.9 - PR
172. Spencer Clark - 35:33.7
187 finishers