Oakland Sweeps #HLXC Championships

The Oakland Golden Grizzlies made a statement at the 2015 Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships as the squad swept both titles at the Elvin R. King Cross Country Course in Cedarville, Ohio.

Youngstown State senior Austin McLean took the men’s individual crown and Athlete of the Year accolades as he passed the finish line in a time of 24:37.43 just seconds before Detroit sophomore Ben Kendell who came in at 24:41.36. The two runners raced neck-and-neck throughout the 8K race with fifth-place finisher Kyle Hauser of UIC also in the mix.

The women’s race was closely contested as the lead went back-and-forth between Milwaukee’s Leah Holmes and Oakland’s Rachel Levy for a majority of the 6K. Leah Holmes pulled ahead at the end to tab the individual championship and Athlete of the Year honors as the junior clocked in a time of 21:42.78. Oakland’s Ashley Burr made a late surge to the finish line to take the runner-up spot with a time of 21:44.85 en route to the team’s overall title.

Oakland topped runner-up finisher Youngstown State by one point in the men’s race as the Golden Grizzlies were led by sophomore Jacob Bowman who finished in sixth place with a time of 24:59.98 to tab First Team All-League honors. Joining Bowman on the First Team was seventh place finisher junior Andrew Bowman with a time of 25:04.52. Oakland had three additional runners earn All-League honors as George O’Connor (25:10.50) placed ninth, Bryce Stroede (25:12.91) took tenth and Michael Cox (25:24.52) came in thirteenth all making the Second Team.

The Golden Grizzlies dominated the women’s race as the team won with a score of 32 points and four of the top six finishers. Levy, who was named Freshman of the Year at the meet, took fourth place with a time of 21:50.32 and was joined by teammates Miranda Haas (22:17.25) and Karli Keur (22:28.43) on the First Team All-League.

In addition to McLean, Youngstown State men’s runner-up team notched three more All-League representatives with Ryan Sullivan (24:48.48) making the First Team with his third place finish and Alan Burns (25:08.58) taking eighth and Ethan Wilson (25:17.82) in eleventh on the Second Team.

Senior Stephanie Sanders led runner-up UIC with a third place finish and time of 21:48.90 to tab First Team accolades. Teammate Lauren Lindholm took eleventh for Second Team honors clocking in at 22:43.18.

UIC placed third for the men with 87 points as junior Kyle Hauser led the way for the Flames with his fifth place finish and time of 24:59.18. Milwaukee took fourth with 96 points as Caleb Abfall (25:26.03) was named to the Second Team All-League for his fourteenth place finish while Detroit took fifth with 123 points.

Northern Kentucky slotted in sixth place in its first-ever Horizon League Championships as freshman Andrew Schille (24:57.54) took home Freshman of the Year honors and a fourth place finish. Rounding out the men’s championship was Green Bay with 221 points, Valparaiso with 226 and Wright State with 258.

Wright State took third for the women’s championship with 98 points led by Second Team All-League honoree Hailey Brumfield (22:39.18). Milwaukee was just four points behind with 102 to take fourth with Brenda Hernandez joining Brumfield on the Second Team with an eighth place finish in a time of 22:36.57.

Detroit tabbed fifth place with 135 points as Zeinab Baydoun (22:43.92) took thirteenth place and Second Team accolades for the Titans. Youngstown State’s McKinsie Klim also joined the Second Team taking tenth place with a time of 22:41.27 to lead the team to sixth place overall with 145 points.

Northern Kentucky posted 171 points, Green Bay had 202, Valparaiso tallied 224 and Cleveland State accumulated 239 to finish out the women’s championship team standings.

The Horizon League cross country teams will compete at either the Great Lakes Region Meet in Madison, Wis. or the Midwest Region Meet in Peoria, Ill. on Friday, November 13th. The Great Lakes Region will run on the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course while the Midwest Region will race on the Newman Golf Course. The teams will then await the announcement of the field for the NCAA Championships on Saturday, November 15th. The NCAA Championships are set to take place Saturday, November 21st in Louisville, KY.

Men’s Awards
Freshman of the Year: Andrew Schille, Northern Kentucky
Athlete of the Year: Austin McLean, Youngstown State
Coach of the Year: Paul Rice, Oakland

First Team All-League
1. Austin McLean, Youngstown State
2. Ben Kendell, Detroit
3. Ryan Sullivan, Youngstown State
4. Andrew Schille, Northern Kentucky
5. Kyle Hauser, UIC
6. Jacob Bowman, Oakland
7. Andrew Bowman, Oakland

Second Team All-League
8. Andrew Bowman, Oakland
9. George O’Connor, Oakland
10. Bryce Stroede, Oakland
11. Ethan Wilson, Youngstown State
12. Nathan Mroz, UIC
13. Michael Cox, Oakland
14. Caleb Abfall, Milwaukee

Women’s Awards
Freshman of the Year: Rachael Levy, Oakland
Athlete of the Year: Leah Holmes, Milwaukee
Coach of the Year: Paul Rice, Oakland

First Team All-League
1. Leah Holmes, Milwaukee
2. Ashley Burr, Oakland
3. Stephanie Sanders, UIC
4. Rachel Levy, Oakland
5. Miranda Haas, Oakland
6. Karli Keur, Oakland
7. Samantha Zakalowski, Detroit

Second Team All-League
8. Brenda Hernandez, Milwaukee
9. Hailey Brumfield, Wright State
10. McKinsie Klim, Youngstown State
11. Lauren Lindholm, UIC
12. Jessica Doepker, Wright State
13. Zeinab Baydoun, Detroit
14. Elizabeth Bloy, Valparaiso