TERRE HAUTE, IN - The No. 27 Toledo women's cross country team wrapped up the 2010 campaign by earning a 28th-place finish at the NCAA Div. I Women's Cross Country Championship Monday afternoon. Ari Fisher (Lebanon, OH) earned All-American status by placing 26th overall, the second-highest showing by a Rocket at the national meet (Shook, 24th, 2002).
Toledo entered the meet as only the fourth women's team from the Mid-American Conference to earn a team bid in the championship. The Rockets made the most of their appearance, edging out SEC-champion Florida and missing 25th place by just 25 points.
"We basically finished where we were ranked so I'm pleased that we
proved we belong," said Head Coach Kevin Hadsell. "However, to be only
25 points behind 25th was a little disappointing."
Fisher crossed in 26th with a time of 20:40.4, earning All-American honors after missing out in 2009 by just three places. The honor makes Fisher just the second Rocket All-American in cross country and only the seventh Rocket to be named an All-American in the history of the women's track & field and cross country program.
"I'm really proud of the team," said Fisher. "It was incredibly windy but I thought we did a great job. Being All-American is a great stepping stone and an improvement from last year."
"What an amazing
year," said Hadsell. "A MAC Championship and an at-large bid to the
NCAA meet. For Ari to be the program's seventh All-American is also huge
for us."
Following Fisher was fellow All-Region runner Emma Kertesz (Toledo, OH) who finished 119th (21:45.6), immediately followed by freshman Megan Wright (Miamisburg, OH) in 120th (21:46.0). Rounding out the Rocket competitors were Devyn Ramsay (Benzonia, MI) in 153rd (22:12.1), Audra Brown (Ayersville, OH) in 159th (22:14.3), Kristal Studer (Bright, IN) in 162nd (22:14.9) and Megan Vogelsong (Defiance, OH) in 173rd (22:25.3).
The final meet of the season caps off an incredible season for the Rocket harriers. In a year in which the women's team achieved their highest national ranking since 2002, won their third MAC Championship in program history, earned their first team bid to the NCAA Championship and placed a member on the All-American team, 2010 will certainly be one to remember for the Toledo Rockets, and one to build upon in the future. The cross country season has come to a close, but the Toledo distance runners will have just a brief layover as they prepare for the upcoming indoor track and field season, which kicks off Dec. 10 at Eastern Michigan.
