ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Today at the Saukie Golf Course, the Mount Mary University cross country team participated in the NCAA Division III Midwest Region Cross Country Championships. The Blue Angels have cut their times down throughout the entire year and were finally able to compete against the Midwest's best DIII runners at this year's five-kilometer track. MMU finished 32nd out of the 37 official teams. University of Wisconsin Eau Claire took first in team scoring while Khia Kurtenbach from University of Chicago took first in individual times with a 20:41.3 finish.
Leading the way for the Blue Angels in every race this season, Jori Galles (Sr./Waukesha, Wis.) completed the 2017 season with an impressive 23:13.7 finish, placing her 102 overall with a pool of 263 runners. The coldest starting temperature of the season at 35 degrees Fahrenheit made the tracks grueling terrain that much more difficult, but Galles and the rest of the Blue Angels worked through it.
Crossing the finish line at 24:28.9 today, Christina Ishaq (Jr./Milwaukee, Wis.) was able to complete every race this season in second place of the Blue Angel runners. The junior placed 174 officially in the giant pool of participants. Ishaq's finish was a major reason the Blue Angels were able to out place Knox College and Concordia University Chicago in team placing.
Freshman Miranda Fluegge (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) finished her circuit in 27:38.2 today at the NCAA Regionals. The rookie has impressively cut down times, and this week showed how she can get through the most rugged conditions. Fluegge placed 237th officially.
Finishing in a small pack, the three of the remaining four Blue Angels placed closely together. Manami Komatsu (Fr./Tokyo, Japan) crossed the finish at 29:54.7 for 251st place. Teammate Mary Jenks (So./Wild Rose, Wis.) was right behind Komatsu 29:56.3. Moments later Sarah Anklam (Jr./St Marys, Ga.) finished the race at the 30:47.2 mark.
Daniela Torres (So./West Allis, Wis.) rounded out the race with a 31:34.9 finish and a 263 placing overall.
In their final race of the 2017 season, the Blue Angels finished 32nd overall of the 37 teams participating in the team event. While it may not have been the top, the Blue Angels have continually impressed the region this year as their consistency to finish in the top half, and continually whittle away their times has shown every race. For more news, updates and information on all the Blue Angels, check out mtmaryathletics.com.
