Waterman named Runner of Year, All-HCAC
By Matt Muncy, November 5, 2009
Junior Heather Waterman earned Most Valuable Runner and an automatic bid to the All-HCAC team, which consists of the top 12 runners, for her first-place finish at the HCAC Championship last weekend. She finished with a time of23:29.
“This has been a wonderful season,” Waterman said. “I did not win last year and I have won three times this year. I have had a great time.”
Waterman was the first Grizzly to win the event since Robyn Burns in 2003.
Waterman’s efforts led the Grizzly women to a second-place finish, while the men’s team finished third. Manchester College won both the men’s and women’s HCAC Cross Country Title.
“It is the same battle whether you win or lose when heading into regionals,” said head coach Paul Sargent.
Senior Kristi Brown, sophomore Shannon Egold, and sophomore Holly Hatch all were named to the All-HCAC team as well. Brown finished sixth with a time of 24:24, Egold was 11th at 24:52, and Hatch placed 12th with a mark of 12:56.
Junior Carmen Alejo made the All-HCAC honorable mention with her 14th place finish and a time of 25:09. Freshman Katie Spellman finished 25th at 26:11 and junior Caitlyn Croan place 42nd with a time of 27:35.
“We will be fighting for a Top 10 ranking at the end of the season,” Sargent said.
Junior Jake Hojnacki led the men’s team with a fifth place finish at 26:57. Hojnacki was the only Grizzly to qualify for the All-HCAC team.
Sargent says Hojnacki will able to do well at regionals. He says Hojnacki’s consistent top-ten finishes have taken a lot of pressure of the team.
“It is a blessing to have,” Sargent said.
Sophomore Kinley Weber finished 14th with a time of 27:31 and earned All-HCAC honorable mention. Senior Scotch Swango finished 16th at 27:52 and Junior Kevin Martin was 17th at 28:03.
Sophomore Jay Druba was 22nd at 28:29, freshman Brandon Litz was 24th with a time of 28:36 and freshman Daniel Morris finished 31st at 29:26.
The teams travel to Terre Haute to run in the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional. They will run at the Lavern Gibson Course.
“Each region gets a minimum of two teams and I think we will have three teams on each side make it,” said Sargent.
“I would say the difference between this year and last was the running this summer. I did better on bank mileage this summer than last year. I just plugged away and kept working hard.”
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