Grand Valley State's Lynsey Ardingo Named GLIAC Women's Cross Country "Runner of the Week"

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BAY CITY, Mich. - Grand Valley State University senior Lynsey Ardingo (Pinckney, Mich./Pinckney Community) was named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) women's cross country "Runner of the Week."

GLIAC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week:
Lynsey Ardingo - Grand Valley State
Senior
Pinckney, Mich./Pickney Community

Grand Valley State senior Lynsey Ardingo (Pinckney, Mich.) helped GVSU take home the team trophy at the Hope Vanderbilt Invitational in Holland, Mich. She led a group of seven GVSU runners in the top-10 by tallying a first-place finish with a time of 18:32. The Lakers recorded a score of 16 points, finishing ahead of Hope (58), Ferris State (79), Cornerstone (101), Albion (142), and Olivet College (190).

-----GLIAC Women's Cross Country Weekly Notes-----

Ashland Eagles

Ashland opens the season this Saturday (Sept. 12) at Bowling Green’s Mel Brodt Invitational.

Ferris State Bulldogs

The Ferris State University women’s cross country team officially opened the 2009 campaign by taking part in the Vanderbilt Invitational hosted by Hope College on Saturday (Sept. 5) morning at Ridge Point Church in Holland, Mich. The Bulldog women took third place of six competing teams in the women’s division . Selected runners competed in the season-opening event. Grand Valley State captured the women’s team title with 16 points. Hope College placed second in the women’s division with 58 points while FSU totaled 79 points. Cornerstone, Albion and Olivet also took part. The FSU women’s team, which is ranked 18th in the NCAA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll, was paced by freshman Anna Ruud, who clocked 19:23 in placing 11th overall in the 5K event. Freshman Alyssa Osika came in 12th (19:31), freshman Shelby Janutol was the 4k course in 14:36. It was a good day all around for 14th (19:44) and junior Megan Josey placed 18th (20:14) for FSU. Freshman Felicia Peacock rounded out the scoring individuals for the Bulldog women with a 24th-place performance (20:31). Several returning veterans did not compete for the Bulldogs in the event, including a returning FSU women’s All-American in junior Tina Muir. Ferris is next slated to host its own Ray Helsing Bulldog Invitational on Friday, Sept. 18, at FSU’s Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids, Mich. The event, which will include both high school and college divisions, begins at 4 p.m. (EDT).

Findlay Oilers

The University of Findlay and women’s cross country teams completed the Flyer 5K Challenge on Saturday, September 5 in Dayton, Ohio. The team took third in the intercollegiate division of the event with 60 points. Katherine McHenry led the team by taking 26th overall and fifth in the intercollegiate division with a time of 19:20 while Erin Calvelage placed 28th overall with a time of 19:24. Tracey Stockmaster (19:54), Christine Zimmermann (20:03), Ashley Sprunger (20:09), Abigail Magner (20:12), Stephanie Charnigo (20:50), Kayla Sendelbach (20:53), Lindsey Schmitmeyer (20:54), Catherine Wiemers (20:57), Taylor Greve (21:11), Colette Gallo (22:22) and Nicole Sonneberger (24:44) also competed for the Oilers at the event.

Grand Valley State Lakers

Grand Valley State’s women’s cross country team took home first at the Hope Vanderbilt Invitational in Holland, Mich., on Saturday (Sept. 5)…the Lakers totaled a score of 16, dominating ahead of Hope (58), Ferris State (79), Cornerstone (101), Albion (142), and Olivet College (190)…seven GVSU runners finished in the top-10…the Lakers were led by senior Lynsey Ardingo (Pinckney, Mich.), who finished first with a time of 18:32…Junior Amy Kolin (Ypsilanti, Mich.) was right behind at 18:34, good for second place…Redshirt freshman Monica Kinney (Walker, Mich.) was third at 18:44, Jessie Vickers (Dexter, Mich.) came in sixth at 19:01…Junior Lori Burgess finished seventh at 19:02, while Karie McDonald (Birch Run, Mich.) was eighth at 19:04…the Lakers will compete next Friday (Sept. 18) at the MSU Spartan Invitational.

Hillsdale Chargers

The Chargers were idle this week and open the season on Friday, September 11 when they travel to the Michigan State Spartan Invitational in East Lansing.

Lake Superior State Lakers

Freshman Aubrey Danielson (Whitehall, Mich.) was 21st in 21:20.4 to lead the LSSU women’s team at the three-team Michigan Tech U.P. Collegiate Opener on Aug. 28. Freshman Kari Strand (Ironwood, Mich.) was 25th in 21:31.6, followed by senior Stacey Leyder (Newaygo, Mich.), who was 35th in 22:12.4, and freshman Kayla Nowak (Alpena, Mich.), who was 45th in 22:42.4. The Lakers host the Lake Superior Challenge 5K on Sept. 12 at the Sault Cross Country Trail located on the Sault Area High School campus.

Michigan Tech. Huskies

The Michigan Tech men’s cross country team will return to action Saturday (Sept. 11) at the Laker Invite hosted by Lake Superior State. Junior Jill Smith ran a personal best time of 20:09 at the UP Collegiate Opener Aug. 28th at the Tech Trails, an improvement of over 27 seconds over a five-kilometer cross country course, to finish first in the women’s collegiate race and fourth overall. The Huskies also finished first in the three team meet with 20 points.

Northern Michigan Wildcats

The Northern Michigan University women’s cross country team open up its 2009 season with a second-place finish at the U.P. Collegiate Cross Country Opener with 37 points...The Wildcats placed three runners in the top 11 as Jenny Wiedmeyer was eighth (20:36.3), Kristen Schulz ninth (20:42.5) and Olivia Juntila 11th (20"46.2)...Northern will run again at the Lake Superior State Open (Sept. 12).

Northwood Timberwolves

Northwood opens the season on Friday, September 11 when host the Northwood Invitational.

Saginaw Valley State Cardinals

The Saginaw Valley State University Women’s Cross Country team will open the season with a trip to Midland, Mich. to participate in the Northwood Invitational. The meet will begin at 5:30 pm.

Tiffin Dragons

Tiffin University’s women had a strong showing at the first cross country meet of the season at Paradiso Athletic Complex which saw 4 Dragons finish in the top 5 against runners from Heidelberg University and Lake Erie College. Carly Reese captured first place with a time of 11:07. Rebecca Miller (11:25) and Heidi Kiesel (11:42) took second and third, respectively. Maria Shaw finished fifth with a time of 11:57.

Wayne State Warriors

Wayne State’s women’s cross country team kicked off the 2009 campaign by running in two events this past week. First at the Winona Duel (9/1) Lauren Kessler (Ionia, Mich./Ionia) notched her first-career win after running the 4k course in 14:36. It was a good day all around for WSU as fellow Warriors Kristi Werner (East Jordan, Mich./East Jordan) and Annie Magin (Richland, Mich./Gull Lake) joined Kessler in the top-10 with second (14:47) and sixth place (15:12) finishes respectively. In her first race with Wayne State, graduate student Jessica Gilbert (Litchfield, Mich./Litchfield) brought home a 19th place finish (16:20). Kessler once again shined at the Flyer 5k Challenge, finishing first among all non-Division I runners and 12th overall with a time of 18:53. Werner also produced another strong performance with a third place finish (19:09) in the Intercollegiate Division, 20th overall. As a team, WSU finished fourth in team scoring. Wayne State will be in action again Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Detroit Titan Invitational.