September 7, 2011
Men
Sam Stevens - Lawrence University
Junior - Suamico, Wis.
Stevens won the individual title at the Tom Barry Invitational at St. Norbert this past Saturday. Stevens covered the four-mile course at Colburn Park in 21:02.7 and won by 13 seconds. This was Stevens’ first individual cross country title, and he led Lawrence to a third-place finish in the team standings.
Women
Stephanie Rouse- Grinnell College
Junior - Colorado Springs, Colo.
Running her first-ever cross country meet at Grinnell College, Rouse raced to a fourth-place finish in an 85-person field at the Central College Dutch Invitational at Pella. Her time of 19:37 ranks 33rd all-time on the Pioneers’ 5-kilometer list.
September 13, 2011
Men
Frank Canady - Grinnell College
Sophomore - Iowa City, Iowa
Canady had an impressive showing at Grinnell College’s own Les Duke Invitational Saturday, placing second in a field of 135 runners. He ran the 8-kilometer race in 26:27 and was just two seconds behind the champion. His efforts helped Grinnell win the team title for the second year in a row.
Women
Mackenzie Weber - St. Norbert College
Freshman - Oshkosh, Wis.
St. Norbert had a successful race against NCAA Division I competition when the Green Knights placed third out of nine teams at the Northern Illinois University Huskie Open. Weber led St. Norbert with a 15th-place finish in 19:22. Weber now owns 2 of the top 3 fastest 5K times in the MWC this season.
September 20, 2011
Men
Sean Choate - Knox College
Junior - Chicago, Ill.
Choate finished 143rd out of 323 runners in a field that included the top NCAA Division I, III and NJCAA teams in the region September 16 at the Illinois Intercollegiate Championships, hosted by Illinois State University. Choate’s time of 26:48 topped his previous best of 27:11, set during the 2010 season, placing him 21st on the Knox Men’s Cross Country All-Time Top 25 Individuals by Time list. Choate moved up nine spots on the list to #12. His time is also the second fastest among all Midwest Conference runners so far this season.
Women
Michelle Matter - Ripon College
Junior - Sussex, Wis.
Matter helped Ripon finish fifth out of 16 teams at Saturday’s Concordia (Wis.) Invitational, as she took second place out of 119 individuals with a 6K time of 23:57.
September 27, 2011
Men
Jon Welty - Monmouth College
Senior - Dixon, Ill.
Welty helped the Scots to an 11th place finish in the 33 team field at Friday’s Brissman-Lundeen Invitational that included some of Division III’s top schools as well as Division II competition. The senior placed 23rd in the field of 403 runners after clocking a 25:38.7. His season-best time ranks as the fastest 8k time in the conference.
Women
Megan O’Grady - Carroll University
Junior - Niles, Ill..
Megan O’Grady finished 8th overall with a time of 22:33 at the Brissman-Lundeen Invite. Megan’s time was a personal best, and currently is the fasted time in the Midwest Conference. She lead the women’s team to an 11th place finish.
October 4, 2011
Men
No Nominations
Women
No Nominations
October 11, 2011
Men
AJ Thew - Ripon College
Senior - Niagra, Wis.
Thew competed in the Ripon Invitational this past weekend and took home a second place finish with an 8K time of 27:00. The Red Hawk men finished in second place among NCAA teams, scoring 57 points.
Women
Michelle Matter - Ripon College
Junior - Sussex, Wis.
Matter won the Ripon Invitational with a 6K time of 23:22, helping the Red Hawks win the event with a perfect score of 15.
October 18, 2011
Men
Sam Stevens - Lawrence University
Junior - Suamico, Wis.
Stevens was the top finisher from the Midwest Conference in an elite field of runners from across the Midwest at the UW-Oshkosh Brooks Invitational on Saturday. Stevens finished the 8,000-meter course in 26:02.29 to take 47th place. That was 51 places higher than the next finisher from the league. Led by Stevens, Lawrence finished 26th in the 47-team field.
Women
Rachel Bowden - Monmouth College
Junior - Lexington, Ill.
With Bowden’s help, the Fighting Scots won the Illinois College Invitational for the second consecutive year. Bowden placed second in the 6K field of nearly 80 runners. She posted a time of 23:07 to place just 15 seconds out of the lead.