GRINNELL, Iowa – Grinnell swept both the team and individual championships at the 2013 Midwest Conference (MWC) Cross Country Championships which were held at Oakland Acres Golf Club hosted by Grinnell College. Sarah Burnell and Frank Canady won the individual championships while the Grinnell women barely won the women’s championship and the Grinnell men added a championship with a 23 point victory.

Canady completed the 8k race by finishing nearly 30 seconds better than his closest completion in a time of 25:26.07 to win consecutive MWC Championships. Dakota Pruitt (Carroll) finished behind Canady in a time 25:53.72 while Lawrence took the next three places with Jamie Brisbois (26:04.14), Kyle Dockery (26:19.34), and Jonah Laursen (26:21.74) rounding out the top five. The individual championship was the second for Canady in as many years and the fifth in the last six years for Grinnell.

Burnell covered the 6k course in 22:42.72 to win the MWC Championship for consecutive seasons and was better than better than a pair of Cornell runners who took the next two places. Abrah Masterson finished second with a time of 22:47.51 while Sanjuanit Martinez was third with a time of 23:00.75. Kyra Kimber (Monmouth) finished fourth in a time of 23:05.08 while St. Norbert’s Elvia Martinez rounded out the top five in a time of 23:14.12. 

On the men’s side Grinnell won the team championship with 35 points while Lawrence finished runner-up with 58 points. St. Norbert picked up a third place finish with 89 points followed by Carroll (97 points) and Cornell (143) in fourth and fifth, respectively. Knox was in sixth with 195 points with Lake Forest (202) and Beloit (203) separated by only one point for seventh place. Illinois Col. (260), Ripon (274), and Monmouth (307) rounded out the men’s field.

For the women Grinnell finished with 56 points which was one less point than Cornell for the MWC Championship. Lawrence was in third with 75 points followed by St. Norbert (94) and Lake Forest (146) in the top five. Beloit was sixth with 184 points while Monmouth (196) and Carroll (213) were in seventh and eighth. Illinois Col. (269), Ripon (273), and Knox (292) finished out the women’s field.

Evelyn Freeman was named Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year while Will Freeman was tabbed the Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. The Coach of the Year awards were voted on by member coaches. 

Sarah Burnell talks about winning the women's 6k race:



Frank Canady talks about winning the men's 8k race: