Pfeifer Headed To Nationals Again Following Great Lakes Regional

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Kevin Frick

HOLLAND, Mich. - The Wittenberg cross country teams traveled north for the 2010 NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional hosted by Hope College Saturday. The men brought home a 19th-place finish while the women placed 12th behind one runner's national championship-qualifying performance.

Junior Tiger harrier Mary Pfeifer (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) placed eighth individually on a time of 22:06.2 on the six-kilometer course, a finish good enough to propel her to a repeat appearance in the NCAA Division III National Championships next weekend.

Pfeifer will head to Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, for the national meet on Saturday, Nov. 20, at the H.J. Max Championship Cross Country Course. It will be her second-straight appearance in the event following a 67th-place finish in 2009.

Last year, Pfeifer became just the second Tiger to run in the national meet. This year, she will make the women's fifth overall appearance, following Abi Gerstle's national participation in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Pfeifer anchored the women's team ahead of junior Anna Henry (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) in 69th, freshman Maggie McIlvain (East Liverpool, Ohio/East Liverpool) in 73rd, and freshman Shannon Kelleher (Hilliard, Ohio/Darby) in 89th to round out the Tigers' top 100 finishers. The women's field included 33 teams in one of the nation's most competitive regions.

On the men's side, senior Kevin Frick (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview) paced the men on their eight-kilometer course with a time of 26:13.1 for a 46th-place finish, followed by sophomor Trevor Grandy (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) in 72nd.

Junior Ryan Hagen (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island), sophomore Adam Markins (Chillicothe, Ohio/Union Scioto) and freshman Jacob Kuntz (Versailles, Ky./Woodford) finished 120th, 144th and 145th, respectively.