women’s cross country
November 15, 2013
Smith to nationals, Harnish all-conference after blustery league meet
The wintry winds of Winona Lake may have slowed the Maple Leaf cross country team at the Crossroads League meet. But for at least one Leaf, the end of fall will persist for two more weeks. Despite finishing in his slowest time of the year, covering the eight kilometer (4.97 mile) course in 26:12, Ryan Smith, a first-year, qualified for the NAIA national championship. That race will be held Nov. 23 in Lawrence, Kan. While Smith was the Leafs’ only national qualifier, Goshen saw two runners finish in the top 15 and earn all-conference honors. In addition to Smith’s second-place...
November 15, 2012
Best times for two; Worst of times for team
Entering the Crossroads League conference meet in Marion, Ind., the Goshen College men’s cross country team’s goal was simple: win. Failing that, the goal was almost simpler: run well enough to qualify for the national meet. Neither the team nor the leading individual, Billy Funk, a senior, met the first goal — the Leafs were third, finishing behind No. 21 Indiana Wesleyan and No. 16 Spring Arbor, while Funk finished sixth in 26:01.8. Jordan Smeltzer, a sophomore, was second on the team and seventh overall after finishing the 8-kilometer (4.97-mile) course in 26:03.3. By virtue of their finishes, the two...
October 11, 2012
Men’s Cross Country rewrites record book at Benedictine Invitational
If 2011 was a spark for the Goshen College Men’s Cross Country Team, then 2012 has turned into a bonfire. In 2011 Jordan Smeltzer, then a first-year, and Oscar Kirwa, then a sophomore, combined to run four of the fastest 20 times in Maple Leaf history. On Saturday, Men’s Cross Country made history again at the Benedictine Invitational in Ill. Billy Funk, a senior, was the fourth runner across the line, covering the 8,000-meter (4.97-mile) course in 25:43. Moses Kaelo, a sophomore, was sixth in 25:51. Smeltzer, despite being only 22 seconds off his best collegiate time, fell all the...
September 20, 2012
Cross Country starts off well, but hopes for improvement
The starting gun has fired on the Maple Leafs’ cross country seasons. The men have yet to lose a race to a degree-granting institution, falling only to an unofficial alumni team in the Goshen Hokum Karem on Sept. 1. The women have placed in the top three in each meet they have attended. In fact, Goshen’s success is being realized: the men have been third in the Crossroads League in all three polls released this year and received votes in each NAIA national ranking. But for a program with 23 all-conference selections in the last dozen years, a couple...
November 16, 2011
Women’s cross-country season ends with eighth place finish
The women’s cross-country season started out strong but in the end showed room for improvement. For the women, winning was not the only objective, being a part of a team and excelling in academics were important as well. “This season was a struggle, with athletes entering the season injured,” assistant coach Justin Gillette said, referring to junior Alita Yoder and sophomore Alli Beitler. “These injured athletes all sustained injuries that were non-running related. I feel that two of our top runners were injured this year, but battled strong for the team. Recruiting is harder when the team struggles, but luckily...
September 9, 2010
Crossing the Hokum Karem
Goshen’s men and women’s cross-country teams avoided the typical early season heat, but not the strong winds as they participated in the annual Hokum Karem. Runners were buffeted to fairly slow times across the board. Both teams ended up finishing third out of the four teams in attendance. Huntington University and Trine University took first and second in both races. The Hokum Karem differs from the standard collegiate race format. In the event, runners from teams compete in pairs, alternating miles. The scores are determined by the general placement of the first three pairs from each team to finish....
September 16, 2009
GC XC in Ohio: a resounding success
Nine runners place top 10, Bouwman takes individual title at Defiance Invitational The Goshen College Men and Women’s cross-country team traveled to Defiance, Ohio for the season opener this past weekend. When the event ended, the women’s team had five runners in the top 10 overall as they took the team title. The five runners included freshman Karla Folker (2nd), senior Rachel Baker (4th 21:03), freshman Mara Weaver (6th 21:13), senior Michelle Miller (8th 21:30), and freshman Alita Yoder (9th 21:32). The men’s team had four runners in the top 10 overall and finished second as a team. Senior Ben Bowman led the...