PSU Women, Five Individuals Qualify for Nationals

Complete Men's Results | Complete Women's Results 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With a runner-up finish at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Cross Country Championships, the Pittsburg State women qualified for the national meet along with five MIAA men's and women's individuals combined.

The Gorillas were led by Melissa Peden, who placed fifth individually with a 6K time of 21:56.10.

Missouri Southern's Marlee Tegenkamp earned a spot at nationals with a runner-up finish individually, recording a time of 21:45.60.

Nine additional MIAA runners joined Tegenkamp and Peden on the all region team. Lincoln's Twishana Williams (seventh), Northwest Missouri's Angela Adams (ninth), Truman's Karen Grauel (11th), Northwest Missouri's Katti Carroll (12th), Missouri Southern's Rachel Schrader (14th), Southwest Baptist's Briana Watson (15th), Emporia State's Katie Mona (17th), Truman's Cindy Grauel (19th), and Pittsburg State's Kaley Temaat (22nd) earned all-region awards.

Pittsburg State was followed in the team standings by Northwest Missouri in third place, Truman in fourth, Southwest Baptist in fifth, Missouri Southern in sixth, Fort Hays State in 12th, and Central Missouri in 16th.

On the men's side, Central Missouri's Laban Sialo won the individual championship with a 10K time of 30:33.20. He will be joined at nationals by Pittsburg State's Adam Volkert, who placed fourth individually with a time of 31:10.40, and Central Missouri's Dalton Moberly, who finished fifth with a time of 31:17.80.

In addition to the three national qualifiers, eight other MIAA student-athletes earned all-region honors. Truman's Joey Walls (seventh), Fort Hays State's Alex Hendee (11th), Northwest Missouri's T.R. Pursell (12th), Southwest Baptist's Cody Smith (16th), Missouri Southern trio Andrew Webster (20th), Eric Schott (22nd) and Jacob Benton (24th), and Northwest Missouri's Ryan Darling (25th) made all-region.

Central Missouri was the top finishing MIAA men's squad, taking third place. Missouri Southern placed fourth as a team, followed by Northwest Missouri and Pittsburg State in a tie for fifth, Southwest Baptist in eighth, Fort Hays State in ninth, Emporia State in 10th, and Truman in 13th.

The 2011 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will be run Nov. 19 at Plantes Ferry Athletic Complex in Spokane, Wash.