NU Concludes 2004 Season on High Note

Peoria, Ill. - The Nebraska men’s and women’s cross country teams enjoyed their best meet of the season at Saturday’s NCAA Midwest Region Championships in Peoria, Ill. While no Huskers qualified for next week’s NCAA Championships, seven of 10 NU runners finished their 2004 season by recording personal-best times.

Senior Anne Shadle concluded her outstanding career at NU with a 37th-place finish in the women’s 6,000-meter race, helping the Husker women’s squad finish 11th in the 26-team field. Shadle’s time of 21:39.33 was a season best.

Each of the remaining five women’s runners set career-best 6k times. Sophomore Lindsey Finkner completed her breakout year by finishing 46th in a time of 21:48.12, breaking her previous record (22:13) by 24 seconds. Sophomore Kim Pancoast’s 49th-place time of 21:55.82 bettered her previous mark (22:50) by 54 seconds. Freshmen Joslyn Dalton (22:29.52) and Val Zajac (23:15.29) rounded out the Huskers’ scoring spots with respective finishes of 78th and 119th. Another freshman, Elizabeth Lange, also competed for NU, finishing 138th in 23:47.22.

"Today was by far the women’s best team effort of the year," Dirksen said. "Everyone gave us tremendous effort and ran their best races of the season. Things look very positive for next year with five of our six runners coming back."

A pair of seniors wrapped up their Husker careers in the 10,000-meter men’s race. Eric Rasmussen closed out his final meet in a time of 32:01.36 to earn 54th place, while Kyle Doperalski collected 76th place in 32:32.76. Sophomores Bryce Dickmeyer and Alec Maduza, NU’s lone underclassmen competing, placed 101st and 118th, respectively, in career-best 10k times.

While the NU men did not field a full squad, Dirksen was pleased with each individual runner’s effort.

"The men ran respectible," Dirksen said. "I was pleased with their effort and thought they competed well."

NCAA Midwest Regional
Nov. 13, 2004 -- Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Results
Newman Golf Course --Peoria, Ill.

Women’s Team Scores
1. Missouri 52
2. Illinois 93
3. Oklahoma State 113
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11. Nebraska 311

Name School Time
1. Cassie Hunt Illinois 20:21.29
2. Faithy Kamangila Oral Roberts 20:30.07
3. Mary Davies Oklahoma State 20:34.11

NU Finishers:
37. Anne Shadle 21:39.33
46. Lindsey Finkner 21:48.12
49. Kim Pancoast 21:55.82
78. Joslyn Dalton 22:29.52
119. Val Zajac 23:15.29
138. Elizabeth Lange 23:47.22

Men’s Team Scores
1. Minnesota 48
2. Oklahoma State 79
3. Iowa 87
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-- Nebraska No Team Score

Name School Time
1. Andrew Carlson Minnesota 29:48.44
2. Mathew Chesang Kansas State 30:02.16
3. Ryan Malmin Minnesota 30:09.96

NU Finishers:
54. Eric Rasmussen 32:01.36
76. Kyle Doperalski 32:32.76
101. Bryce Dickmeyer 33:08.55
118. Alec Maduza 33:41.72