Oct. 27, 2007

Women's Results | Men's Results

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The successful Ohio women's cross country added another notch to its championship belt on Saturday afternoon with its second consecutive MAC Championship and the 10th in program history.

Carime Reinhart (Boscom), the defending MAC Champion in 2006, took fifth overall and the senior was followed by Annie Beecham (Granville) in sixth and Kari Summers (Troy) in seventh as the women's team recorded 56 total team points, just two points less than second place Akron, which had two runners in the top-10 with fourth and eighth place finishes.

Rounding out Ohio's scoring five were Julia Weisenborn (Bowling Green) in 14th and Rachael Beakas (Mentor) in 24th place.

For their efforts for the season and in the MAC Championship, Reinhart, Beecham, Summers were all named to the women's cross country All-MAC first team while Weisenborn was given second-team All-MAC honors and head coach Clay Calkins was named the women's MAC coach of the year.

"Winning by two points, that margin is so slim, it was a great finish with us and Akron and I am so proud of our girls," said Calkins.

On the men's side, Eastern Michigan took home its third straight MAC title while the Ohio men took fourth, led by Craig Leon's second place finish individually.

Leon, just four seconds behind the leader, was the men's lone top-10 finisher and earned first-team All-MAC honors while Shamus Eaton (Uniontown) in 24th, Brian King (Richfield, Minn.) in 27th, Ridge Robinson (Navarre) in 28th and Todd Holbrook (Dayton) in 34th rounded out the men's scoring five.

"The guys ran great with Craig Leon leading the way," said Calkins. "He ran an incredible strategic race."

The season is not complete by any means, however, with NCAA regional and championship meets remaining. Ohio will compete at the Bloomington, Ind., regional on Nov. 10 with all Bobcat runners hoping to run well enough to qualify for nationals at Terre Haute, Ind., on Nov. 19.

"We have regionals in two weeks and for all the athletes the ultimate goal is going to nationals," Calkins said. "They are all running great right now, the men and the women, but it's a tough regional so its going to be a battle to qualify."

Women's first-team All-MAC

1) Laura Neufarth

2) Allison Bishel

3) Mary Veith

4) Cassandra Schenck

5) Carime Reinhart

6) Annie Beecham

7) Kari Summers

Women's second-team All-MAC

8) Sediah Erskine (Akron)

9) Renata Volf (Toledo)

10) Larisa Arcip (Akron)

11) Jennie Stoll (Miami)

12) Melissa Green (Eastern Michigan)

13) Kim Lorentz (Akron)

14) Julia Weisenborn (Ohio)

Women's MAC Coach of the Year

Ohio's Clay Calkins

Men's first-team All-MAC

1) Josh Perrin (Eastern Michigan)

2) Craig Leon (Ohio)

3) Josh Karanja (Eastern Michigan)

4) Pat Sovacool (Miami)

5) David Brent (Eastern Michigan)

6) Jason Headman (Akron)

7) Michael Veatch (Miami)

Men's second-team All-MAC

8) Brad Untrauer (Miami)

9) Matt Loiselle (Central Michigan)

10) Curtis Vollmar (Eastern Michigan)

11) Andy Morgan (Akron)

12) Kyle Mena (Eastern Michigan)

13) Sammy Kiprotich (Central Michigan)

14) Eddie Kipchoge (Bowling Green)

Men's MAC Coach of the Year

John Goodridge (Eastern Michigan)

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Joe Waltasti is the cross country contact in the Ohio media relations office. He can be reached via email at waltasti@ohio.edu and in the office at 740-593-0054.