Women's Cross Country Team Heading to NCAA Championships

BLOOMSBURG-- The Bloomsburg University women's cross country team will take part in the 2007 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championship on Saturday. The Championships will be run on the 6k course on the campus of Missouri Southern University in Joplin, Missouri.

The trip to the NCAA's concludes a season of firsts for the Bloomsburg women's cross country program. On October 27th, the team won its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship in school history, and then followed that up with an NCAA East Regional Championship the following week.

"Taking individuals to nationals is a great accomplishment and quite rewarding," head coach Karen Brandt said. "But, there is something about knowing that a group came together as a team and throughout the season they worked so well together to accomplish a big goal like this. There is a feeling of satisfaction that goes to a very deep level.

Brandt continued, "It feels fantastic and I am filled with pride and happiness for these women who are the epitome of what it means to be an athlete."

Leading the Huskies into the NCAA Championships will be the three runners who earned All-Regional honors at regionals by finishing in the top ten. Senior Amber Hackenberg (Middleberg/Middleberg) was the Huskies top finisher, as she rank the 6k cross country course at Lock Haven University in 21:51 to earn a sixth place finish. This is the second time in Hackenburg's illustrious career that she will take participate at nationals. In 2005, Hackenberg finished 48th overall in a time of 22:56.

Sophomore Andrea Kellock (Lansdale/North Penn) finished right behind Hackenberg at regionals in seventh position with a time of 21:56. Kellock also paced the Huskies at the PSAC Championships, when she finished ninth overall.

Junior Beth Schwing (Hershey/Lower Dauphin) rounded out the Husky runners who finished in the top ten at regionals, with a ninth place finish. Schwing also earned all-PSAC honors when she finished 14th at the conference championships.

Other Husky runners who look to lead Bloomsburg include sophomore Angela Borelo (Easton/Easton), who finished 16th at regionals and garnered all-PSAC honors after finishing 12th at the conference championships. Junior Ashley Shuck (Milton/Milton) rounded out the top Husky finishers at regionals placing 24th in a time of 22:39.

For Brandt, bringing a team to a national championship tournament is an experience she is looking forward to.

"Anytime we've taken athletes to nationals and seen a coach with a team in the airport, we've wondered if this would ever happen to us and how exciting it must be to have your team going to nationals," said Brandt. "Now we know and are looking forward to sharing this experience with seven amazing women over the next several days."

"We know they will make us proud on Saturday."