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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's cross country team is back in action this Saturday, Oct. 31, when the Eagles head to Athens, Ohio for the 2009 Mid-American Conference Cross Country Championship, hosted by Ohio University.
The Eagles are looking to top their finish from last year's MAC Championship, as the team had a less than stellar finish, taking 10th overall last year when they hosted the league championship at EagleCrest Golf Course. Then freshman Natalie Webb (Allen Park, Mich.-Woodhaven) ran a solid race for the Eagles at the 2009 MAC Championships, as her time of 18:05.3 was a personal best and good for 25th overall.
This year's team will be led by true freshman Courtney Calka (Livonia, Mich.-Stevenson), who has paced the Eagles in every race she's competed in. Calka earned MAC Runner of the Week honors after just the second race of her collegiate career, as her time of 18:15 at the Running Fit-Detroit Titan Invitational was good for third overall and helped the Eagles take home the team title. Calka followed up her performance by placing first overall at the George Dales Invitational, Sept. 18, with a time of 21:49.26 in the 6,000-meter race in Three Rivers, Mich.
Looking to close the gap behind Calka will be sophomore captain Rachel Hollinger-Janzen (Goshen, Ind.-Goshen), who has performed at a high level throughout the 2009 season. At the George Dales Invitational, Hollinger-Janzen took fourth place with a time of 22:50:20, finishing behind Calka in the two spot for the third time at that point in the season. In her last competition, the Pre-Nationals Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind., Hollinger-Janzen was the second EMU harrier to cross the finish line, taking 168th (out of 247) with a time of 22:55.8.
While most of the team rested last week, the many EMU runners still had a solid showing at the EMU Fall Classic in Dexter, Mich., as senior Jackie Ellis (Lebanon, Ohio-Lebanon-Hope College) finished 16th overall with a time of 19:24.00 in the women's 5,000-meter race. Senior Megan Flewelling (Grand Blanc, Mich.-Powers Catholic) rounded out the top 25 last week, finishing with a time of 19:45.00 for EMU.
The Eagles will also look for solid contributions from freshman Tiffany Kincaid (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) and junior Beverly Elcock (Fort Wayne, Ind.-Northrop), who have both competed well for the Eagles this season.
The women's 6,000-meter event is the final race of the MAC Championship and will begin at noon. The awards ceremony will follow 30 minutes after the women's event is complete.
