Grace Runners Set Records At League Championships
November 8, 2016 at 2:59 p.m.
Grace Runners Set Records At League Championships
By Josh Neuhart-
The women ran the fastest team time (sum of the top five finishers) in school history, and the men had the best team time since at least 2002.
The Lady Lancers’ team time was 1:39.09, finishing sixth in the challenging field. The men’s time was 2:11.59 to also finish sixth.
Individually, Grace had three All-League honorees, including Raven Arellano, Ben Rankin and Nathan Lane. It marks the first time in at least 15 years that Grace has had three All-League runners, and the first time with both a male and female All-League honoree in the same year.
Additionally, Arellano and Rankin likely secured their spot at the 2016 NAIA National Championships. The final field will be announced on Monday, but the duo appear to be locks for NAIA Nationals which would mark the first time Grace has had a male and female representative in the same championship.
“This was a fantastic day for Grace cross country. The Crossroads League is probably as deep as it’s ever been with several teams in the national rankings,” said Grace coach Jeff Raymond. “I am very proud of the way our athletes handled the situation and brought out their best performances when it counted the most.”
Arellano paced the Lady Lancers with a sixth-place finish of 18:41.
Brigit Nemitz set a personal best of 19:36, despite battling sickness for much of Friday. She finished in 24th place.
Emma Mitchell was third on the team in 39th place in a time of 19:51, Brooke Smith was fourth at 20:17, and Jessica Zvers was next in line when she crossed the finish line in 20:42. Mitchell, Smith and Zvers all had PRs.
On the men’s side, Rankin enjoyed his first league championship as a freshman, finishing in 10th place in a time of 25:40. He was one of just two underclassmen to finish in the top 10.
Lane was not far behind Rankin at 25:51, earning All-League recognition for his 13th place showing. Lane missed all of last year with injury and was running his first race in six weeks. “I knew Nathan was tough, but today was beyond all expectations,” Raymond said. “For him to set a personal best and earn All-League honors is a special accomplishment for him.”
Tyler Houvener (26:36), Joel Bertelsen (26:45) and Brandon Smith (27:05) completed Grace’s top-five finishers. Sam Hall at 27:11 and Hunter Reed at 27:29 also produced PRs for the Lancers.
Next weekend, Grace will take on the 2016 NCCAA National Championships in Jackson, Miss.
The women ran the fastest team time (sum of the top five finishers) in school history, and the men had the best team time since at least 2002.
The Lady Lancers’ team time was 1:39.09, finishing sixth in the challenging field. The men’s time was 2:11.59 to also finish sixth.
Individually, Grace had three All-League honorees, including Raven Arellano, Ben Rankin and Nathan Lane. It marks the first time in at least 15 years that Grace has had three All-League runners, and the first time with both a male and female All-League honoree in the same year.
Additionally, Arellano and Rankin likely secured their spot at the 2016 NAIA National Championships. The final field will be announced on Monday, but the duo appear to be locks for NAIA Nationals which would mark the first time Grace has had a male and female representative in the same championship.
“This was a fantastic day for Grace cross country. The Crossroads League is probably as deep as it’s ever been with several teams in the national rankings,” said Grace coach Jeff Raymond. “I am very proud of the way our athletes handled the situation and brought out their best performances when it counted the most.”
Arellano paced the Lady Lancers with a sixth-place finish of 18:41.
Brigit Nemitz set a personal best of 19:36, despite battling sickness for much of Friday. She finished in 24th place.
Emma Mitchell was third on the team in 39th place in a time of 19:51, Brooke Smith was fourth at 20:17, and Jessica Zvers was next in line when she crossed the finish line in 20:42. Mitchell, Smith and Zvers all had PRs.
On the men’s side, Rankin enjoyed his first league championship as a freshman, finishing in 10th place in a time of 25:40. He was one of just two underclassmen to finish in the top 10.
Lane was not far behind Rankin at 25:51, earning All-League recognition for his 13th place showing. Lane missed all of last year with injury and was running his first race in six weeks. “I knew Nathan was tough, but today was beyond all expectations,” Raymond said. “For him to set a personal best and earn All-League honors is a special accomplishment for him.”
Tyler Houvener (26:36), Joel Bertelsen (26:45) and Brandon Smith (27:05) completed Grace’s top-five finishers. Sam Hall at 27:11 and Hunter Reed at 27:29 also produced PRs for the Lancers.
Next weekend, Grace will take on the 2016 NCCAA National Championships in Jackson, Miss.
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