Husker Women Finish Fourth at NCAA Regional

Falcon Heights, Minn. ? The Nebraska men’s and women’s cross country teams competed for the chance to advance to the NCAA Cross Country Championships Saturday at the NCAA Midwest Regional. The Huskers placed fourth in the women’s 6K team standings out of 24 squads with 141 points, while the NU men earned 13th place out of 21 teams with 427 points while racing the 10K.

 

Sophomore Ari Goldstein led the Nebraska women for the fourth time in seven competitions this season in 22nd place with a time of 21:48.92, and senior Kim Pancoast recorded one of her finest races of the season in a 26th-place clocking of 21:5.82. Sophomore Natalja Zarcenko was the third Husker to cross the line with a 28th-place mark of 21:56.42, while another sophomore, Jennifer Pancoast, finished right behind in 29th with a career-best 6K time of 21:57.32. Junior Channing Anseth rounded out Nebraska’s scoring spots in 36th place (22:08.82).

 

“We had a lot of great individual efforts today,” Head Coach Jay Dirksen said. “They all gave us great effort. It seemed to be one of our best efforts of the year. Kim Pancoast picked a good time to come up with her best race of the year for us.”

 

Meanwhile, the Husker men rode the back of its leader, sophomore Brian Parr, for the fifth time in five meets this season. Parr earned 38th place with a time of 32:04.74, and Kyle Custer continued his breakout season by finishing 77th in 33:13.19. Junior Alec Maduza crossed the line in 92nd place, while senior Bryce Dickmeyer concluded his Nebraska career with a time of 33:57.94 (95th place). Freshman Ethan Luebbe, who competed while still recovering from an illness, rounded out NU’s scoring in 35:25.34 (125th place). Junior Peter van der Westhuizen again did not finish because of his ongoing battle with compartment syndrome.

 

“Our men ran much better than we did at the Big 12 Conference meet,” Dirksen said. “Parr had a very good race today and Kyle (Custer) seemed to come back pretty well from a sore foot he’s been dealing with.”

                               

The Nebraska women will now wait to hear if they will be chosen as a team selection to compete at the NCAA meet, which will be held Nov. 20 in Terre Haute, Ind. While only the top two squads form each region earn automatic bids to nationals, there are also 15 at-large bids that will be awarded on Monday.

 

“Our women’s team still has to be a consideration for the national meet,” Dirksen said.

 

NCAA Midwest Regional

Women’s Team Results (6K)

1. Illinois ? 44

2. Minnesota ? 49

3. Iowa ? 118

4. Nebraska ? 141

5. OklahomaState ? 175

 

Women’s Individual Results (6K)

1. Diane Nukuri, Iowa ? 20:34.72

2. Angela Bizzarri, Minnesota ? 20:47.32

3. Emily Brown, Minnesota ? 20:48.57

4. Jessica Eldridge, Oklahoma ? 20:49.77

5. Ladia Albertson-Junkans, Minnesota ? 20:53.62

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22. Ari Goldstein, Nebraska ? 21:48.92

26. Kim Pancoast, Nebraska ? 21:52.82

28. Natalja Zarcenko, Nebraska ? 21:56.42

29. Jennifer Pancoast, Nebraska ? 21:57.32 (PR)

36. Channing Anseth, Nebraska ? 22:08.82

(48.) Betsy Miller, Nebraska ? 22:25.87

(55.) Joslyn Dalton, Nebraska ? 22:35.82

 

Men’s Team Results (10K)

1. OklahomaState ? 72

2. Kansas ? 88

3. Iowa ? 121

4. Missouri ? 122

5. IowaState ? 132

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13. Nebraska ? 427

 

Men’s Individual Results (10K)

1. Micah Vandenend, Iowa ? 30:40.14

2. Chris Rombough, Minnesota ? 30:47.19

3. Jason Bill, Illinois ? 30:48.29

4. KielUhl, Iowa State ? 30:48.79

5. Tim Ross, Missouri ? 30:50.84

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38. Brian Parr, Nebraska ? 32:04.74

77. Kyle Custer, Nebraska ? 33:13.19

92. Alec Maduza, Nebraska ? 33:48.39

95. Bryce Dickmeyer, Nebraska ? 33:57.94

125. Ethan Luebbe, Nebraska ? 35:25.34