Simpson places three on all-conference team

WAVERLY, Iowa – The Simpson women's cross country team, which finished fifth at the previous four Iowa Conference Championships, made the jump to the No. 4 spot Saturday afternoon while getting three top-15 finishers.

With 87 points, Simpson cruised past fifth-place Loras (110), which came into the championship ranked ninth in the Central Region by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Simpson defeated Loras for the second-time this season, with the last time coming Oct. 10 at Wartburg's Dan Huston Invitational.

Wartburg took the team championship (39), followed by Luther (56) and Central (73). Cornell finished in sixth (179), Dubuque in seventh (207) and Coe rounded out the field in eighth (227).

Junior Catie Ellingson (Indianola, Iowa) turned in Simpson's best individual finish since 2005, crossing the finish line in second after completing the course in 22:59. Ellingson found herself only 10 seconds behind champion Anna Kraayenbrink of Wartburg, as she earned All-IIAC honors for the third time in her career, placing 14th in 2008 and 10th in 2007.

Two other Storm runners earned all-conference nods. Senior Sarah Hammel (Dorchester, Iowa) placed 10th (23:42), followed closely by classmate Jess Christensen (Harlan, Iowa), who took 11th (23:47). The 11th place finish for Christensen is the second top-15 performance of her career, as she placed 7th in 2006. 

The three All-IIAC performers for Simpson is the most by a Storm team since the turn of the century, as the Simpson has never placed more than one runner in the top-15 since prior to the 2000 season.

Senior Tricia Davis (Ft. Madison, Iowa) placed 30th (24:40) and sophomore Signe Mayland (Buffalo Center, Iowa) placed 52nd (25:24), while freshmen Jade Osborne (Goodyear, Ariz.) came in 74th (26:16) and Jayde Boyle (Holstein, Iowa) placed 78th (26:28) to round out the varsity finishers for the Storm.

Simpson now has a week off before heading to the 2009 NCAA Division III Central Region Championships at Grinnell College's Oakland Acres Golf Course Saturday, Nov. 14.