Rolf Registers Third-Place Finish at Regionals; Sophomore Sensation Qualifies for Nationals; Team Finishes Ninth

Laura Rolf (Rochester, Mich./Lutheran Northwest) ran to a third-place finish at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Saturday morning in Bowling Green, Ohio. With her finish, Rolf automatically qualifies for the NCAA Cross Country Championships November 20 in Terre Haute, Ind.

Rolf covered the six-kilometer course in 21:00.79, trailing only Michigan's Nicole Edwards (20:50.91) and Michigan State's Alissa McKaig (21:00.26). With her third-place finish, Rolf earns All-Region honors for the second consecutive year, joining former Valpo great Collette Liss with two regional honors. Rolf and Liss are the only runners in Crusader history to ever earn All-Region accolades.

Two Crusader seniors improved greatly on their performances from a year ago at the regional meet to finish second and third for Valpo. Danielle Nunnelly (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso), the only four-time All-Conference honoree in school history, finished in 56th position with a time of 22:38.35, an improvement of 43 spots over the 2005 Great Lakes Regional.

Ashley Billstrom (Hales Corners, Wis./Whitnall) followed close behind Nunnelly, covering the 6K in 22:40.41, good for 58th place, 55 places better than her finish last year. Renae Swift (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) was the next Crusader runner to cross the line, coming home 113th with a time of 23:35.41, while Rachael Button (Farmington, Mich./Farmington) closed out the scoring for the Brown and Gold, finishing in 23:46.70, good for 125th place.

Paced by Rolf's incredible run, the Crusaders put together one of their best efforts ever to run to a ninth-place finish, registering 343 points as they defeated 21 other squads. Michigan State edged out Wisconsin, 63-66, to earn the team championship.

 

Crusaders Close Out Season at Great Lakes Regional

The Valparaiso men's cross country team closed out its 2006 campaign Saturday morning at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in Bowling Green, Ohio, registering 701 points for a 25th place finish.

Chris Honig (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South [Indiana]) led the Crusaders with a 113th place finish, covering the ten-kilometer course in 33:56.27. Honig paced the Valpo squad in each of its six races this season.

Following Honig was Leandro Schultz (Valleyview, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights), who placed 121st with a time of 34:05.77. The finish marked an improvement of 69 places for Schultz over his finish at last year's regional meet.

Jim Turchyn (Batesville, Ind./Batesville) was the next Crusader to cross the line, finishing the race in 34:43.53, good for 149th place. Adriano Schultz (Brecksville, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) followed in 157th place, covering the course in 34:53.27, while Jordan Stanfill (Goshen, Ind./Goshen) closed out the Valpo scoring, hitting the line in 34:58.53 for a 161st place finish.

Eastern Michigan's Corey Nowitzke took individual top honors, as the senior covered the 10K in 30:57.94. Wisconsin ran away with the team championship, recording just 52 points for the title. The Crusaders defeated six teams, including four future Horizon League foes.