FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, December 7, 2009

CONTACT: Ted Breidenthal 816/285-1419 tbreidenthal@d3independents.org www.d3independents.org

Association of Division III Independents

Names 2009 All-Independent Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams

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

Nebraska Wesleyan’s Jackie Spelts, a senior from Burwell, Neb., was named the female runner of the year for the second consecutive year.  Spelts ran a 22:22.6 (6K) to place ninth overall at the 2009 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships November 21 in Cleveland.  Spelts helped the Prairie Wolves finish 12th in the team competition with 365 team points.  She finished third at the NCAA Central Regional (21:43.7 6K) and helped the NWU women to a second-place team finish at the qualifying event.   

Nebraska Wesleyan’s top male runner, Logan Watley, led the Prairie Wolves to their 13th straight appearance at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships to mark the fifth longest streak in the nation.  The senior from Lincoln, Neb., finished 88th at the NCAA’s in a time of 26.40.  The Prairie Wolves placed 27th in the 32-team field. In the Central Regional held in Grinnell, Iowa, the men tied for first place with St. Thomas.  Watley placed second at the regional meet with a time of 25:15.2.

Nebraska Wesleyan landed four runners on the men’s first team – Watley, Brian Copley, Neil Wolford and Kyle Wagner – and four more runners – Spelts, Hayley Sutter, Hannah Kinberg and Amanda Costello – on the women’s first team. 

Nebraska Wesleyan runner Amanda Costello, a freshman from Lincoln, Neb., was named the women’s rookie runner of the year.  University of Maine, Presque Isle harrier Jason Johnson, a freshman from Presque Isle, Maine, was voted as the men’s rookie runner of the year.   

Nebraska Wesleyan’s Ted Bulling was named both the men’s and women’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 

Jackie Spelts, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Mikayla Murphy, Junior, University of California, Santa Cruz

Hayley Sutter, Junior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Hannah Kinberg, Sophomore, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Amanda Costello, Freshman, Nebraska Wesleyan University

 

Women’s Second Team 

Katie Nelson, Sophomore, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Angela Cuba, Senior, University of Dallas

Lupe Cazares, Senior, Mills College

Angie Sandoval, Senior, Mills College

Kim Chew, Junior, Mills College

 

Women’s Honorable Mention 

Michelle Wood, Freshman, Finlandia University

Safiya Karmy-Jones, Freshman, Mills College

Shelly Hanson, Junior, University of Maine-Presque Isle

Kati Christoffel, Freshman, University of Maine-Presque Isle

Rachel Jensen, Freshman, Mills College

Dana Webb, Freshman, Mills College

Men’s First Team

Logan Watley, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Brian Copley, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Neil Wolford, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Sean Trott, Junior, Lancaster Bible College

Kyle Wagner, Junior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

 

Men’s Second Team

Ryan Osberg, Junior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Greg Pivarunas, Senior, University of Dallas

Justin Fereshetian, Sophomore, University of Maine-Presque Isle

Jason Johnson, Freshman, University of Maine-Presque Isle

Darryl Brown, Freshman, Finlandia University

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 14 Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition. 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.