AU’s Kemple, Rose’s Krasich, and HC’s Cochard to Represent HCAC at NCAA Division III Championships
November 16, 2007
NORTHFIELD, MINN. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference will be represented by three individuals at the Division III Women’s Cross Country Championships in Northfield, Minnesota. Anderson’s Gwen Kemple (Rushville, Ind./H.S.), Rose-Hulman’s Rachel Krasich (Westfield, Ind./H.S.), and Hanover’s Emily Cochard (Kendallville, Ind./East Knoble) each qualified for this Saturday’s event with their efforts in the Great Lakes Regional on Nov. 10.
Kemple advanced to this Saturday’s NCAA Division III National Championship meet with a second place time of 21:31.95 at the Great Lakes Regional. The senior was named the Most Valuable Runner at the HCAC Championship on Oct. 27, edging out Krasich and Cochard with a time of 21:52. Her second place finish at the Great Lakes Regional was only the second time this fall she had lost to another Division III runner.
Krasich finished 11 th in last weekend’s Great Lakes Regional at Calvin College. She set a school record time of 22:06, smashing her previous six-kilometer school record by nearly 50 seconds. The senior runner will become the first Engineer female student-athlete in school history to compete in an individual NCAA Division III championship. Krasich finished second at the HCAC Championships.
Cochard will be the third Hanover runner to compete in the national meet when she hits the 6K course Saturday. She earned her spot in the 280-runner field with a 22 nd place finish in last weekend’s regional, posting a time of 22:33.65. Cochard placed third in the HCAC Championship meet, finishing behind the same two individuals that will join her in representing the conference tomorrow afternoon.
The top 35 runners at the national meet with earn All-American status. The six-kilometer event will take place on the St. Olaf campus in Northfield, Minnesota at noon eastern time.