2004 News

Irwin, who was the lone Bulldog competitor competing in the national meet, completed the 6K course in a time of 23:16.8. The event was won by Chelsea Smith of Brigham Young-Hawaii in a time of 21:33.00. The University of Southern Indiana hosted the national championships on the Southern Indiana Cross Country Course.

Irwin advanced individually to the national championships by virture of her seventh place All-Great Lakes Region performance at the NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Championships (Nov. 6) held in Edwardsville, Ill. The top two individuals not associated with one of the top four qualifying teams garnered national meet berths.

A three-year letterwinner, Irwin claimed first-team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) honors for the second consecutive season this campaign with a fourth-place effort (22:37.30) at the 2004 GLIAC Championships (Oct. 23) in Hudsonville, Mich. She attained All-GLIAC accolades last season with a seventh-place (22:29.8) finish at the 2003 GLIAC Cross Country Championships (10/25) hosted by Ferris State at Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids, Mich.

Irwin, who also received 2003 Division II Cross Country Coaches Association Individual All-Academic Award recognition, placed among the top 10 meet competitors in six of her eight races this campaign which included two individual titles.

Irwin was the fifth-highest finisher from a GLIAC member school at the national meet.

The Bulldogs compiled 166 points and trailed fourth-place Wisconsin-Parkside by three points. The top four teams advanced to the national meet. Grand Valley State finished first (31 points), Northern Michigan was second (98) and Ashland took third place (113).

FSU junior Jenny Irwin did, however, reach the NCAA-II Championships as an individual competitor as she placed seventh overall in a time of 22:39.94 on the 6K course. The top two individuals not associated with one of the four qualifying teams also garnered national meet berths. The other individual spot was claimed by Southern Indiana's Heather Cooksey, who won the 148-runner race in a time of 22:00.23.

Senior Rachel Cox placed 13th (22:54.75), sophomore Julia Viel was 24th (23:20.96), senior Mary Miller finished 57th (24:20.81) and junior Kristen Balla took 65th place (24:29.75).

Junior Kathryn Lange was 72nd (24:37.49) and freshman Jessie Rodgers captured 90th place (25:08.27) for FSU.

The 24th annual NCAA-II Championships are slated to be held Saturday, Nov. 20, on the campus of Southern Indiana in Evansville, Ind.

Final Ferris State Results:
7th - Jenny Irwin (22:39.94)
13th - Rachel Cox (22:54.75)
24th - Julia Viel (23:20.96)
57th - Mary Miller (24:20.81)
65th - Kristen Balla (24:29.75)
72nd - Kathryn Lange (24:37.49)
90th - Jessie Rodgers (25:08.27)

The Ferris State University women's cross country team placed third overall in the 2004 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championships held Saturday (Oct. 23) at Rolling Hills Golf Course in Hudsonville, Mich.

In addition, ninth-year FSU head coach Jeff Kavalunas was named the GLIAC's Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

The Bulldogs tallied 95 points in finishing behind champion Grand Valley State (31 points) and second-place Northern Michigan (87) in the 13-team field. The 6K event was hosted by GVSU.

Junior Jenny Irwin finished fourth individually at 22:37.30 among 150 competitors. Senior Rachel Cox placed sixth (22:44.3), junior Kathryn Lange was 27th (23:25.7), senior Mary Miller finished 30th (23:31.1) and sophomore Julia Viel took 31st place (23:32.1).

Junior Kristen Balla was 43rd (23:53.5), junior Geneva Jones captured 64th place (24:24.3) and freshman Jessie Rodgers took 75th place (24:34.9).

Freshman Jacquelyn Green was 96th overall (25:13.6) and freshman Ashley Sholl took 97th place (25:18.6) in the event.

The Bulldogs, who are ranked 14th in the latest (Oct. 19) NCAA Division II Cross Country Coaches Association National Rankings, will take part in the NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Championships Saturday, Nov. 6, beginning at 11 a.m. (EST) in Edwardsville, Ill.

Final Ferris State Results:
4th - Jenny Irwin (22:37.3)
6th - Rachel Cox (22:44.3)
27th - Kathryn Lange (23:25.7)
30th - Mary Miller (23:31.1)
31st - Julia Viel (23:32.1)
43rd - Kristen Balla (23:53.5)
64th - Geneva Jones (24:24.3)
75th - Jessie Rodgers (24:34.9)
96th - Jacquelyn Green (25:13.6)
97th - Ashley Sholl (25:18.6)

The Ferris State University women's cross country team claimed its third-straight team championship this campaign Friday (Oct. 8) by winning the 6K division at the annual Michigan Intercollegiate Championships held at Rolling Hills Golf Course in Hudsonville, Mich.

The Bulldogs totaled 59 points in the 13-team field. Grand Valley State, which hosted the meet, took second place (74 points), Wayne State placed third (117) and Siena Heights was fourth (122).

Senior Rachel Cox led by the Bulldogs by placing third overall (22:45) among 110 runners on the 6K course. Junior Jenny Irwin finished sixth (22:56), junior Kristen Balla was 15th (23:34), sophomore Julia Viel finished 18th (23:37) and freshman Jessie Rodgers took 20th place (23:41). Senior Mary Miller was 26th (23:57), junior Kathryn Lange captured 29th place (24:01) and junior Geneva Jones took 35th place (24:15). Freshman Ashley Sholl was 50th overall (24:51) and freshman Jacquelyn Green took 71st place (25:39) in the event.

The Bulldogs, who are ranked 18th in the latest (Oct. 4) NCAA Division II Cross Country Coaches Association National Rankings, return to Hudsonville for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championships Saturday, Oct. 23, beginning at 11 a.m. (EDT) at Rolling Hills Golf Course.

Final Ferris State Results:
3rd - Rachel Cox (22:45)
6th - Jenny Irwin (22:56)
15th - Kristen Balla (23:34)
18th - Julia Viel (23:37)
20th - Jessie Rodgers (23:41)
26th - Mary Miller (23:57)
29th - Kathryn Lange (24:01)
35th - Geneva Jones (24:15)
50th - Ashley Sholl (24:51)
71st - Jacquelyn Green (25:39)

The Bulldogs totaled 72 points in the 34-team field. Nike and Fleet Feet sponsored the annual event which featured over 50 collegiate teams, 35 high school teams and 20 elementary schools, making it one of the largest meets in the country.

The "Maroon" division included NCAA Division II and III schools as well as NAIA institutions and Canadian Colleges participating in the meet. Missouri Southern placed second with 114 points in the women's field.

Junior Jenny Irwin led the Bulldogs as she claimed first place for the second consecutive race in a time of 18:10 on the 5K course. Senior Rachel Cox placed fourth (18:24), sophomore Julia Viel was 19th (19:10), junior Kristen Balla finished 22nd (19:16) and senior Mary Miller took 29th place (19:23) in the field of 381 participants. Freshman Jessie Rodgers was 31st (19:25), junior Geneva Jones captured 48th place (19:51) and junior Kathryn Lange took 62nd place (20:07). Freshman Jacquelyn Green was 72nd overall (20:22) and freshman Ashley Sholl took 84th place (20:30) in the event.

The Bulldogs will take part in the Michigan Intercollegiate Championships Friday, Oct. 8, at Hudsonville, Mich. The event, which will be hosted by Grand Valley State, is set to begin at 4 p.m. (EDT).

Final Ferris State Results:
1st - Jenny Irwin (18:10)
4th - Rachel Cox (18:24)
19th - Julia Viel (19:10)
22nd - Kristen Balla (19:16)
29th - Mary Miller (19:23)
31st - Jessie Rodgers (19:25)
48th - Geneva Jones (19:51)
62nd - Kathryn Lange (20:07)
72nd - Jacquelyn Green (20:22)
84th - Ashley Sholl (20:30)

FSU took eight of the top 12 spots en route to winning the event with 22 points. Saginaw Valley State placed second (44), Lansing Community College was third (67) and Northwood finished fourth (114).

Junior Jenny Irwin led the Bulldogs as she claimed first place in a time of 19:00.19 on the 5K course. Senior Rachel Cox placed second (19:10.73), sophomore Julia Viel was fourth (19:39.75), junior Kristen Balla finished seventh (19:57.12) and junior Kathryn Lange took eighth place (20:03.72) as five Bulldog runners placed among the top eight finishers in the 44-runner field.

Senior Mary Miller finished 10th (20:10.24), freshman Jessie Rodgers was 11th (20:12.86) and junior Geneva Jones captured 12th place (20:18.02). Freshman Ashley Sholl was 17th overall (20:55.43) and freshman Jacquelyn Green took 18th place (20:56.11) as all 10 Bulldog runners were among the top 18 finishers in the event.

The title, which came in Ferris' only home meet this campaign, was FSU's eighth all-time Bulldog Invitational championship, including its third-straight overall.

The Bulldogs will take part in the Loyola Lakefront Invitational Saturday, Oct. 2, in Chicago, Ill. The event begins at 11 a.m. (EDT).

Final Ferris State Results:
1st - Jenny Irwin (19:00.19)
2nd - Rachel Cox (19:10.73)
4th - Julia Viel (19:39.75)
7th - Kristen Balla (19:57.12)
8th - Kathryn Lange (20:03.72)
10th - Mary Miller (20:10.24)
11th - Jessie Rodgers (20:12.86)
12th - Geneva Jones (20:18.02)
17th - Ashley Sholl (20:55.43)
18th - Jacquelyn Green (20:56.11)

Junior Jenny Irwin placed 22nd overall (22:47) to lead the Bulldog women in the 6K event.

Senior Rachel Cox took 28th place (23:07), sophomore Julia Viel was 35th (23:21) and junior Kathryn Lange captured 57th place (23:59).

Senior Mary Miller took 59th place (24:02), freshman Jessie Rodgers was 62nd (24:06) and junior Kristen Balla registered a 67th place performance (24:11).

Junior Geneva Jones placed 70th (24:19), freshman Ashley Sholl was 103rd (25:31) and freshman Jacquelyn Green took 116th place (26:22) in the 147-runner field.

Ferris State will host the Bulldog Invitational Friday, Sept. 24, at FSU's Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids, Mich. The meet begins at 5:30 p.m. (EDT).

Final Ferris State Results:
22nd - Jenny Irwin (22:47)
28th - Rachel Cox (23:07)
35th - Julia Viel (23:21)
57th - Kathryn Lange (23:59)
59th - Mary Miller (24:02)
62nd - Jessie Rodgers (24:06)
67th - Kristen Balla (24:11)
70th - Geneva Jones (24:19)
103rd - Ashley Sholl (25:31)
116th - Jacquelyn Green (26:22)

Ten Bulldog athletes took part in the 5K non-scoring event, including junior Jenny Irwin who placed second overall (18:42.4).

Senior Rachel Cox took fourth place (18:59.1), sophomore Julia Viel was seventh (19:24.7) and junior Kristen Balla captured eighth place (19:25.2) as four Bulldog runners placed among the top 10 finishers.

Junior Kathryn Lange placed 12th (19:45.8), junior Geneva Jones was 19th (20:05.9) and freshman Jessie Rodgers took 20th place (20:16.5). Senior Mary Miller took 25th place (20:39.5), freshman Ashley Sholl was 28th (20:58.6) and freshman Jacquelyn Green registered a 34th place performance (21:30.8).

The event included athletes from Central Michigan, Ferris State, Lake Superior State and Michigan State along with unattached athletes. Thirty-eight runners competed in the season-opening event.

Ferris State will take part in the Michigan State Spartan Open Friday, Sept. 17, at East Lansing, Mich. The race is set to begin at 4 p.m. (EDT).

Final Ferris State Results:
2nd - Jenny Irwin (18:42.4)
4th - Rachel Cox (18:59.1)
7th - Julia Viel (19:24.7)
8th - Kristen Balla (19:25.2)
12th - Kathryn Lange (19:45.8)
19th - Geneva Jones (20:05.9)
20th - Jessie Rodgers (20:16.5)
25th - Mary Miller (20:39.5)
28th - Ashley Sholl (20:58.6)
34th - Jacquelyn Green (21:30.8)