FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, December 7, 2007

CONTACT: Ted Breidenthal 816/474-7264, ext. 119 tbreidenthal@d3independents.org www.d3independents.org

Nebraska Wesleyan Runners Brandenburger, Dunker Lead
Association of Division III Independents
2007 All-Independent Cross Country Teams

KANSAS CITY, MO.--- For the third year in a row, harriers from Nebraska Wesleyan University earned major honors as the All-Independent Cross Country teams were announced today by the Association of Division III Independents.

For the second year in a row, Nebraska Wesleyan’s Amber Brandenburger, a senior from Columbus, NE, was named the female runner of the year after she finished second at the NCAA Central Regional and 16th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.  She shared the runner-of-the-year award with Lauren DiSessa of Green Mountain College and Rachel Fichthorn of Salem College.  DiSessa, a junior from Westfield, MA, was a consistently strong finisher for the Eagles, while Fichthorn, a junior from Nokesville, VA, won the AD3I Northeast Region championship in Boston.  

Also for the second year in a row, Chris Dunker, a senior junior from Beatrice, NE, was voted the male runner of the year.  Dunker, who was named to the All-American squad, led the Prairie Wolves to an 11th consecutive appearance at the NCAA championships.  He also led Nebraska Wesleyan to a sixth straight Central Regional championship. 

Nebraska Wesleyan landed three runners on the men’s first team – Dunker, Greg Timblin and Brian Copley – and two runners – Brandenburger and Brittany Hubbard – on the women’s first team. 

University of California, Santa Cruz runner Mikayla Murphy, a freshman from San Luis Obispo, was named the women’s rookie runner of the year.  Mitchell College harrier John Hoffman, a freshman from Bala Cynwyd, PA, was voted as the men’s rookie runner of the year.   

Coach J.P. Widner from Salem College was selected as the women’s coach of the year, while Mitchell College coach Todd Peretz was named the men’s coach of the year.  

The All-Independent Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams were selected by the men’s and women’s cross country coaches from the Association of Division III Independents member schools.

 

Women’s First Team 

Amber Brandenburger, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Lauren DiSessa, Junior, Green Mountain College

Rachel Fichthorn, Junior, Salem College

Brittany Hubbard, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Michelle Phillips, Junior, University of Maine-Presque Isle

 

Women’s Second Team 

Daphne Nichols, Junior, Salem College

Mikayla Murphy, Freshman, University of California, Santa Cruz

Bridget Baldwin, Junior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Lupe Cazares, Sophomore, Mills College

Leah Joy, Senior, University of Maine-Presque Isle

 

Women’s Honorable Mention 

Jackie Spelts, Sophomore, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Aliana Fillback, Freshman, Newbury College

Nicole Horvath, Freshman, Green Mountain College

Adilene Sanchez, Freshman, California State University, East Bay

Lily Page, Junior, Mills College

Jin-Mee Leal, Freshman, California State University, East Bay

 

Men’s First Team 

Chris Dunker, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Greg Timblin, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Herrel Siller Jr., Junior, Newbury College

Brian Copley, Sophomore, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Joshua Wang, Sophomore, Green Mountain College

 

Men’s Second Team

Andrew Laflin, Sophomore, Nebraska Wesleyan University

John Hoffman, Freshman, Mitchell College

Branden Mountain, Freshman, Newbury College

Emerson Wright, Junior, University of Maine-Presque Isle

Marcos Gomez, Senior, California State University, East Bay

 

Men’s Honorable Mention

Jake Lewis, Freshman, Green Mountain College

Zachary Mujica, Freshman, Chapman University

Elliott Nicholson, Freshman, California State University, East Bay

Landry Daniels, Junior, California State University, East Bay

Greg Pivarunas, Sophomore, University of Dallas

 

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 21 Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition in nine sports in 2007-08.  The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.  The Association provides statistical services for its members in seven sports.  In addition, it will announce All-Independent teams at the conclusion of eight other sports this year. 

More information about the Association of Division III Independents is available at http://www.d3independents.org.