Ferris State's Tina Muir and Grand Valley State's Jerry Baltes Named NCAA Division II Midwest Athlete and Coach of the Year

Click here for printer-friendly (PDF) version of release

Click here USTFCCCA release

Click here for regional results

BAY CITY, Mich. - Ferris State University junior Tina Muir (St. Albans, U.K.) and Grand Valley State University's Jerry Baltes were named NCAA Division II Midwest Region Athlete and Coach of the Year, respectively.

Women's NCAA Division II Midwest Athlete of the Year:
Tina Muir - Ferris State
Junior
St. Albans, U.K.

Muir, a junior, was the individual champion at the Midwest Regional, winning the event in a time of 21.33.2. The victory represented her fifth individual title in as many races this season. Muir was also the top performer at the GLIAC Championships, winning the race with a time of 21:20.2 and helping the nationally-ranked Bulldog women to a runner-up finish. Muir was named the 2009 GLIAC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Women's NCAA Division II Midwest Coach of the Year:
Jerry Baltes - Grand Valley State
9th Year

Baltes led the Lakers to their ninth-straight Midwest Regional title as all five runners finished in the top ten, earning USTFCCCA Midwest All-Region honors. The Lakers totaled a team score of 26 points, besting the runner-up by 50 points. GVSU also was victorious at the GLIAC Cross Country Championships claiming its ninth-straight GLIAC team title. Baltes earned Coach of the Year honors in the GLIAC for his team’s efforts in 2009.

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

Ashland Eagles

Ashland finished fifth at last week’s regional championships. Junior Mandy Farson (Massillon, OH/Jackson) was AU’s top finisher, she was 16th. Her time on the 6K course was 23:12. Freshman Stephanie Stoffel (Cincinnati, OH/Glen Este) was 17th (23:15). Senior Bryn Winters (Cincinnati, OH/Colerain) was 24th (23:30) and senior Ashley Gregory (Columbus, OH/New Albany) was 25th (23:31).

Ferris State Bulldogs

The nationally-ranked Ferris State University women’s cross country team secured its second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championships berth by running to a third-place team finish in the NCAA-II Midwest Regional Championships held on Saturday (Nov. 7) in Kenosha, Wis. The Bulldog women placed third in the regional for the second-straight campaign and will next compete in the NCAA-II Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21, in Evansville, Ind. The Bulldog women also had the individual regional champion as junior standout Tina Muir clocked 21:33.2. Freshman Anna Rudd also placed in the top 15 overall as she was 13th (22:57.0) overall. Junior Paige Onweller took 20th place (23:20.7) followed by senior Megan Josey in 31st place (23:42.7) and freshman Alyssa Osika in 38th place (23:54.5).

Findlay Oilers

The University of Findlay women’s cross country team completed the 2009 NCAA Division II Midwest Region Meet on Saturday, November 7 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The women took seventh with 231 points while the men placed tenth with 281 points. Katherine McHenry was 22nd with a time of 23:27. Brier Sterling (23:57), Tracey Stockmaster (24:00), Erin Calvelage (24:00), Rachel Hosie (24:43), Christine Zimmermann (25:40) and Abigail Magner (26:06) also competed for Findlay.

Grand Valley State Lakers

The Grand Valley State women’s cross country team dominated the field at the Midwest Regional Championships in Kenosha, Wis. last Saturday (Nov. 7) on its way to the ninth straight team title. GVSU had all five runners place in the top-10, led by junior Megan Maceratini (Livonia, Mich.) third-place finish with a time of 21:53. The Lakers totaled a team score of 26 points, 50 points ahead of second-place Southern Indiana. Junior Katherine McCarthy (Marne, Mich.) crossed the finish line in fourth with a time of 22:00, while senior Eileen Creutz (Saline, Mich.) finished right behind in fifth with a time of 22:01. Senior Lynsey Ardingo (Pinckney, Mich.) placed sixth with a time of 22:18 and sophomore Jessie Vickers (Dexter, Mich.) finished eighth with a time of 22:38. GVSU will run at the NCAA Division II Championships Nov. 21 in Evansville, Ind.

Hillsdale Chargers

Hillsdale College sophomore Ashley Quick will represent will represent the school at the 2009 Division II NCAA Cross Country championships.Quick qualified for the national meet as an individual thanks to her ninth-place finish at Saturday’s Division II regional meet, held at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. She finished the race in 22:39.

Michigan Tech. Huskies

Freshman Amanda Halonen crossed the line first for the Huskies at the Midwest Regional Meet in Kenosha, Wis., Saturday (Nov. 7) finishing the six-kilometer course in 58th (24:13). Senior Alison Springer-Wilson was two spots back finishing 60th in 24:16. Juniors Christina Mishica and Jill Smith finished 63rd (24:28) and 74th (24:38) for Tech, and senior Jenna Klein completed the scoring for the team with her 81st finish in 24:47. The team finished 12th of 19 teams with 336 points.

Northern Michigan Wildcats

The Northern Michigan University women's cross country team concluded the 2009 season at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championships...Olivia Juntila led the Wildcats with a 36th-place showing as she covered the course with a time of 23:52.

Northwood Timberwolves

The Northwood University men’s cross country team finished their 2009 season by competing at the NCAA Regional Championships Saturday afternoon (November 7) … the event was hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Parkside at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course. NU finished 18th overall with a team score of 405. Leading the way for the Timberwolves was sophomore Braxton Collins (Britton, Mich./Britton Macon), who placed 43rd overall with a time of 34:45. Sam Watson (Rochester, Mich.) ran 35:37 to finish 69th overall.

Saginaw Valley State Cardinals

The Saginaw Valley State University women’s cross country team placed ninth Saturday (Nov. 7) in the Division II Midwest Regional Championship meet hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The Lady Cardinals were led by senior Katie Scott (Mitchell, Ont./Mitchell District SS) who timed in at 23:28, placing her 23rd overall. Following Scott was senior Amber Catlin (Alma, Mich./Alma HS) who finished 43 overall, crossing the line with a time of 23:58.

Tiffin Dragons

Tiffin University competed at the NCAA Regional meet at Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday, Nov. 7 placing 17th of 19. For the women, Carly Reese was the top finisher, taking 34th in 23:48. Rebecca Miller was 61st in 24:19. Heidi Kiesel (90th), Maria Shaw (112th), and Tichelle Brant (123rd) rounded out the top five for TU.

Wayne State Warriors

Junior runner Kristi Werner (East Jordan, Mich., East Jordan) finished in 10th place and earned All-Region honors Saturday at the Division II Midwest Regional Championships. As a team, Wayne State finished in 10th place with 297 points. Werner had a time of 22:54.2. This is Werner’s second All-Region award in as many years. As WSU’s second runner, junior Lauren Kessler (Ionia, Mich., Ionia) followed up her All-GLIAC performance two weeks ago to finish in 37th place after completing the course in a time of 23:53.6. Fellow junior Annie Magin (Richland, Mich., Gull Lake) had a time of 24:01.9 to finish in 48th place. In her first NCAA Regional Championship, freshman Chelsie Fuller finished in 95th place overall with a time of 25:27.9.