Freshman Alexis Skarda finished eighth place in a field of over 155 runners at the NCAA Division II Central Regional Championships in Kearney, Nebraska earlier today. Skarda’s eighth place finish earned her berth to the November 22 NCAA Division II National Championship in Slippery Rock, Penn. The top five teams qualify and the top two individual runners who’s team do not qualify. The Mavericks narrowly missed out advancing as a team, placing sixth in a field of 23 teams.
Skarda and teammate Esmeralda Martinez-Ramos earned All-Region honors awarded to the top 15 finishers in the field. Skarda ran the 6k course in a time of 22:08.85. Martinez-Ramos finished in 12th place crossing the line in a time of 22:35.0.
MSC’s sixth place finish with 198 points was 18 points behind fifth place finisher, Metro State’s 180 points. Adams State had four of the top six runners and finished in first place with a team total 30 points. Augustana (S.D.) finished second (81 points) and RMAC foe Western State was third with 83 points. Minnesota-Duluth placed fourth (129 points.).
Paula Bruzewski placed 54th (23:37.65). Freshman Kelsey Follett crossed the line in 61st place (23:50.85) and Brooke Bosman was 63rd overall (23:53.00). Cecilia Garcia (24:45.55) and Samantha Hentosh (25:00.70) finished 88th and 101st respectively.
UC-Colorado Springs’ Shannon Payne won individual honors as the top regional runner crossing the finish line in a time of 21:14.2 qualifying for the national championship at Slippery Rock.
The race course was at the Kearney Country Club, six RMAC schools finished in the top ten.
NCAA DII Regional Results