The Missouri State cross country team completed the NCAA Midwest Regional in Peoria, Ill. The team finished 14th in the field of 27.
Stephanie Price of Minnesota was the individual champion at 20:01.48, while Iowa State was named the team champion. Out of the Midwest Region, Iowa State and Oklahoma State will advance to the NCAA National Championships, while Price and Tulsa's Paula Whitling will advance as individuals.
Among the Missouri State runners, freshman Leah Nichols capped off an impressive rookie campaign, finishing 22nd with a time of 20:48.31, the third-fastest 6K time in Missouri State history.. This time was good enough to earn her all-Midwest Region honors. Following Nichols was junior Terry Phillips in 41st with a new personal-best 21:13.67, which will go down as the fifth-fastest time in school history. Sophomore Emily Beaver placed 62nd with a time of 21:36.84, which is also in the all-time time ten at ninth.
Other Bears across the finish line were freshman Erin Edwards in 148th (23:10.08), freshman Monica Smith in 150th (23:17.08), freshman Lisa Imgrund in 167th (23:43.44) and freshman Nicole Thate in 177th (24:16.18). The Bears team score of 409 was one point behind Valley rival Illinois State.
"We just barely missed Illinois State," head coach Greg Hipp said, "We finished right where we were ranked, but we were hoping to move up. We just didn't quite pull it off. "
This was the first 6K race for the Bears all season. Of the seven runners that competed for Missouri State, only Beaver and Phillips had prior experience in the 6K distance. Even with that inexperience, Nichols became the fifth all-Midwest Region athlete under coach Hipp.
The Bears are well established for next season, as the only graduating senior on the team in Mari-Jean Vance. The top three of Nichols, Phillips and Beaver will all return next season. Hipp is happy with the individual performances from today's race and thinks that things look bright in the Bears future.
"Nichols made the all-regional team," Hipp said, "We had some good, fast times from Phillips and Beaver as well. We have some good things to build on. We just need to get a little more experience on our team."
