MLC runners improve in Regionals

GRINNELL, Iowa -- The Martin Luther College cross-country men placed 15th, and the women placed 19th in the NCAA Regional meet Saturday afternoon.

The team winner of the men's meet was Nebraska Wesleyan with 44 points, and Wartburg College came in second with 62. MLC placed 15th out of 27 teams with 441 points. The team made a jump of five places from last year's 20th place finish.

"It was outstanding that we jumped five spots," said MLC men's coach Charles Hussman. "It was a nice improvement for us."

The first place individual finisher in the men's meet was Tom Kreger from Hamline with a time of 24:44.

The top seven MLC men all set personal records Saturday. Tim Bourman placed 54th with a time of 26:32, and his brother Jon placed 77th not far behind at 26:57.Kyle Needam finished 86th at 27:11, and Jon Martens finished at 27:27 to place 99th. Phil Moldenhauer finished 125th and had a time of 28:08, while Nate Livingston came in 132nd at 28:28, and Jon Laabs finished 139 with a time of 28:55.

The MLC women also moved up a couple of notches in the NCAA Regional meet, finishing 19th out of 24 teams with 557 points -- a two place improvement from last year. Wartburg College won the meet with 43 points, and St. Olaf took second with 53.

The overall individual winner of the women's meet was Missy Buttry, a sophomore from Wartburg College with a time of 20:43.

Sarah Bishop from MLC finished 83rd in 24:31, and Melanie Sosinski finished 108th at 25:23. The

MLC third, fourth, and fifth runners finished closely -- at 26:02, Marie Christie finished 121st, at 122nd was Tanya Tranberg at 26:03, and just seven seconds later, Rachel Horneber finished at 123rd. Sallie Pannenbacker finished 132nd at 27:10, and Hayley Dittbenner finished 143rd with 28:25.

"There was a big improvement from last year on both levels," said Hussman.