September 18, 2021 | by Taylor Pill

STORY

WHITEWATER, Wis. -- In their first chance of the season, both of the Maranatha Cross Country Teams have punched their ticket to NCCAA Nationals.

Both squads had 6 runners meet the required individual time, easily securing a full-team (7-runner) berth at November's season finale in Missouri.

The men's race was the usual 8K, and it was a star-studded, 13-team field. Wisconsin-Whitewater defended their home turf with a narrow 1-point win over Washington (Mo.), and David Fassbender cut the tape with a pack-leading 25:30 for the Warhawks. Jeremy Fopma led the Blue and Gold, cruising to a time of 26:52 - that's 6 seconds better than his 2019 time at the Tom Hoffmann. The next five runners behind Fopma all met the 34-minute standard for Nationals qualifying, securing the team time at the season's first test.

Washington University scored a rare minimum of 15 points in the women's 6K, registering the top 5 runners en route to the easy win. Emma Walter almost broke 23 minutes, notching a time of 23:01. Abigail Doak was the top Sabercat, beating Sierra John by 20 seconds with a time of 27:29. It was the same story on the women's side, as the next 4 all met the 30:19 NCCAA qualifying standard for a 6K, making it a celebratory day on the Whitewater campus.

"Today's result was very encouraging," said Head Coach John Warnke. "We were able to accomplish several of our goals with qualifying for Nationals, and we were able to grow as a team and take risks and push the comfort zone. We're encouraged with the result. - it shows growth, especially from last year at this time. But it shows that we still have a lot of work to do. From here, our focus will shift on race-specific skills and mindsets that we need to be competitive at the national level."

OVERVIEW

• Event (Wis.-Whitewater): Tom Hoffman Invitational (Whitewater, Wisconsin/Campus Course)
• Men's Finish: 11th/13 - 312 points
• Team Time: 2:37:22
• First Runner: 23rd - Jeremy Fopma - 26:52 (8K)
• Women's Finish: 11th/13 - 343 points
• Team Time: 2:22:18
• First Runner: 86th - Abigail Doak - 27:29 (6K)
• Location: Wis.-Whitewater / Whitewater, Wis. / Campus Course

RESULTS (Men's 8K)

• 23rd - Jeremy Fopma - 26:52+
• 120th - Jordan Hoffmann - 30:25+
• 151st - Josiah Cochran - 32:39+
• 163rd - Drew Smith - 33:39+
• 166th - Jefferson Rupert - 33:45+
• (168th) - David Dorothy - 33:57+
• (180th) - Jonathan Gilliam - 35:55
• (181st) - Nathan Terry - 39:32
• (190th) - Curtis Fink - 50:24

RESULTS (Women's 6K)

• 86th - Abigail Doak - 27:29+
• 95th - Sierra John - 27:48+
• 104th - Katie Jean Lingle - 28:26+
• 115th - Lydia Neubert - 28:56+
• 122nd - Kate Nutzhorn - 29:37+
• (129th) - Abby Gilliam - 29:52+
• (143rd) - Ashley Brungard - 31:28
• (150th) - Taylor Ellis - 36:00
• (152nd) - Mellisa Shetter - 37:52
• (153rd) - Kaitlyn Mayer - 38:04
• (155th) - Michelle Rees - 42:06

*Personal Record :: #Program Top-20 finish :: +Qualified for NCCAA Nationals

NEXT

The Sabercats' next meet will be Friday, October 1 at the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational hosted by Augustana in Rock Island, Illinois. Follow at mbusabercats.com/schedule.