Junior Sunni Olding, a two-time cross country All-American, was named a second-team <i>ESPN The Magazine</i> Academic All-American&amp;reg; on Wednesday.

Irish Men's Cross Country Finishes Second At NCAA Great Lakes Regional

Nov. 11, 2006

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The 18th-ranked Notre Dame men’s cross country team assured itself of a spot in next week’s NCAA Championship by virtue of its runner-up finish at Saturday’s NCAA Great Lakes Regional, which was run at Forrest Creason Golf Course in Bowling Green, Ohio. The Irish earned 104 points, ending up behind only defending national champion Wisconsin (52 points) while registering their 10th top-two regional finish and 17th automatic finals qualification in program history. Meanwhile, the Notre Dame women’s cross country squad placed fifth at the Great Lakes Regional (116 points) and now must wait to see if they are awarded an at-large berth to the NCAA Championship when those bids are revealed Sunday night.

Senior All-American Kurt Benninger (Chepstow, Ontario/Walkerton D.S.S.) was the top men’s finisher for Notre Dame, placing seventh in the 10,000-meter race with a time of 31:22.97, earning his third consecutive top-seven finish at regionals. Sophomore Patrick Smyth (Salt Lake City, Utah/Judge Memorial) was right behind Benninger in eighth place (31:23.21), marking the third consecutive race in which both Irish runners have finished among the top 12 in the field. However, the two unsung heroes of Saturday’s performance for Notre Dame were freshman Brock Hagerman (Markleville, Ind./Pendleton Heights), who came in 24th place (31:53.24) and senior Todd Ptacek (Benton Harbor, Mich./Lake Michigan Catholic), who was 25th in 31:53.94. Junior Jake Watson (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) was the final Irish scorer in 40th place with a mark of 32:16.70.

“If they gave a game ball for cross country, we’d split it in half and give a piece to both Brock and Todd,” Notre Dame head men’s cross country coach Joe Piane said. “Those guys ran a very intelligent, patient race and did a great job of working with the pack and then breaking at the right time. What’s even more gratifying is that I don’t think we’ve run our best race yet. Our top guys will say they could run better and we’ve seen what Jake is capable of. So I’m looking forward to seeing how we perform at the NCAAs.”

Junior All-American Sunni Olding (Minster, Ohio/Minster) made a successful return to her home state, leading the Irish women with a sixth-place finish in a 6,000-meter time of 21:03.50 for her third consecutive top-seven regional finish. Olding’s placement also puts her in position to earn an automatic individual qualification to the NCAA Championship in the event Notre Dame does not receive an at-large team berth. Senior Ann Mazur (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-LaSalle) continued her late-season surge, placing 21st (21:52.93), while junior Julie Opet (Wayne, Pa./Radnor) wasn’t far behind in 24th place with a time of 21:56.41. Sophomore Heidi Rocha (Palmdale, Calif./Paraclete) placed 30th in her first-ever regional meet (22:07.78), while freshman Lindsey Ferguson (Greenfield Center, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) closed out the Notre Dame scoring in 35th place (22:17.27).

Both Notre Dame teams will get back into training this week in preparation for the NCAA Championship, scheduled for Nov. 20 on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind. The Irish men placed third on that same course at last year’s NCAA meet, marking their best national finish since 1990, while the Notre Dame women have finished among the top 10 at the NCAA Championship the past four years.

— ND —

NCAA Great Lakes Regional
Nov. 11, 2006
Bowling Green, Ohio • Forrest Creason Golf Course

MEN’S 10,000-METER RACE
Team Results (top six of 31):
1. Wisconsin 52; 2. NOTRE DAME 104; 3. Butler 107; 4. Michigan State 113; 5. Eastern Michigan 137; 6. Indiana 162.

Individuals (top five of 209 plus Notre Dame finishers): 1. Corey Nowitzke (Eastern Michigan) 30:57.94; 2. Scott Overall (Butler) 31:01.17; 3. Jordan Kyle (Indiana) 31:02.43; 4. Alex Hains (Butler) 31:03.59; 5. Stuart Eagon (Wisconsin) 31:07.65; 7. Kurt Benninger (Notre Dame) 31:22.97; 8. Patrick Smyth (Notre Dame) 31:23.21; 24. Brock Hagerman (Notre Dame) 31:53.24; 25. Todd Ptacek (Notre Dame) 31:53.94; 40. Jake Watson (Notre Dame) 32:16.70; 55. Jake Walker (Notre Dame) 32:33.27; 60. Brett Adams (Notre Dame) 32:36.15.

WOMEN’S 6,000-METER RACE
Team Results (top six of 30):
1. Michigan State 63; 2. Wisconsin 66; 3. Michigan 89; 4. Butler 111; 5. NOTRE DAME 441; 6. Marquette 155.

Individuals (top five of 203 plus Notre Dame finishers): 1. Nicole Edwards (Michigan) 20:50.91; 2. Alissa McKaig (Michigan State) 21:00.26; 3. Laura Rolf (Valparaiso) 21:00.79; 4. Hanna Grinaker (Wisconsin) 21:01.50; 5. Jessica Gall (Indiana) 21:03.26; 6. Sunni Olding (Notre Dame) 21:03.50; 21. Ann Mazur (Notre Dame) 21:52.93; 24. Julie Opet (Notre Dame) 21:56.41; 30. Heidi Rocha (Notre Dame) 22:07.78; 35. Lindsey Ferguson (Notre Dame) 22:17.27; 47. Amy Kohlmeier (Notre Dame) 22:31.63; 71. Becca Bauman (Notre Dame) 22:57.97.