LA MIRADA, Calif. --- The No. 8-ranked Biola women's cross country team has earned its second-straight trip to the NAIA Cross Country National Championships in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Saturday, November 22, 2008. Joining the women's squad will be freshmen David Ricksecker, who earned of the individual berths for the men's race.
The Eagle women earned the nod after a strong performance at the 2008 GSAC Championships held Saturday, Nov. 8 at Woodward Park in Fresno. Biola took third place and finished just 10 points behind second-place Concordia (Calif.). It was the fastest team time for the Eagles women in recent memory.
Leading the way for the team is senior Kristin Schmidt, who finished seventh overall, earning All-GSAC honors for the third-straight season. Right behind her was sophomore Katie Thede in 10th place and freshman Nychele Fischetti in 11th.
Biola's women finished 11th overall in the team standings at the 2007 NAIA Championships with Schmidt earning All-American honors with an 11th place individual finish.
On the men's side, Ricksecker will represent the Biola men as an individual at the championship meet. Ricksecker was named to the All-GSAC squad after finishing 11th overall.
The 53rd annual men's and 29th annual Women's NAIA Cross Country National Championships will be held at Dr. Wayne E. Dannehl Cross Country Course in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Saturday, November 22, 2008. The women's race will start at 10:30 a.m. (CST) while the men's starts at 11:45 a.m. (CST).
This year's women's 5K race will feature 32 teams, including 25 conferences/independents/unaffiliated champions and seven at-large bids and 112 individual qualifiers. Cedarville (Ohio) held the top spot in nine of the 11 Coaches' Top 25 Polls this season and is the favorite to capture the team title. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) was ranked No. 1 twice this year and will challenge for the title. APU will be led by defending NAIA Individual National Champion, Jaime Canterbury. Simon Fraser (B.C.), who claimed the last five championships, received an at-large berth and will aim for its 11th national title in school history.
The Men's 8K race will also welcome 32 teams (including 25 conferences/independents/unaffiliated champions and seven at-large bids) and 111 individual qualifiers. Malone (Ohio) captured its second national title last season and is once again the front runner this season. The Pioneers have gone wire-to-wire as the top team in Coaches' Top 25 Polls this season. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) finished second in the final top-25 poll and will race for its first national title. The Cougars will be led by defending NAIA Individual National Champion, Aron Rono.
Kenosha, the nation's only pure cross country courses with its long-standing history as a community that embraces the sport, has hosted 27 NAIA National Championship Cross Country events from 1976 to 1979, 1981 to 2002 and 2007.
Championship information and results are available on the NAIA website at http://naia.cstv.com/genrel/110308aaf.html.
