November 9, 2014

Trojans Claim Second-Straight Crossroads League Championship

UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor University women's cross country team turned in eight of the top-15 individual times on Saturday to claim the 2014 Crossroads League Championship on its home course.

The championship was followed by fifth-year head coach, Quinn White, being voted as the Crossroads League Coach of the Year for the second-straight season.

The Trojans set a course record and recorded the second-fastest team time in program history with a mark of 93:59 while battling cold and blustery conditions. Each of TU's top-eight finishers posted their fastest times of the season to help No. 15 Taylor secure its second-straight Crossroads League Championship.

"It was an exciting day for Taylor women's cross country," reflected White. "It was a great battle with Indiana Wesleyan that came down to the finish and we made some important passes down the stretch and held other positions that made the difference."

Taylor claimed the team title with 29 points and edged second place and No. 12 Indiana Wesleyan by seven points and 67 seconds on the course to top the standings. Huntington finished in third with 77 points, while Spring Arbor (144) and Marian (149) rounded out the top five.

Alex Berends added yet another chapter to her historic rookie campaign, setting a course record and notching a new personal best mark of 17:55.9 for the second-fastest individual time in Taylor program history.

Berends claimed the individual Crossroads League Championship by finishing over 53 seconds ahead of IWU's runner-up, Taylor Hite, and improved to 1047-2 on the season with her fourth individual win in five collegiate outings.

"For Alex to run a 17:55 on this course, under these conditions and without being challenged was phenomenal," said White. "She runs with such peace, patience and passion. I am very happy for her."

The Trojans showcased tremendous depth behind Berends, taking fourth, fifth, eight, 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th to claim eight of the top-15 finishes. Berends was joined by Jane Hawks, Anissa Richards, Allison Steinbeck, Anna Meyer, Elaine Schmeltz and Andrea Foster on the All-Crossroads League Team, with league rules permitting more than seven individuals from one school being the only thing keeping Hannah Schroder from the honor.

Hawks followed Berends in the parade of purple to cross the finish line near the front of the field, ending fourth with a season-best time of 18:54, while Richards logged her fastest career time by nearly 30 seconds to end in fifth with a time of 18:55.4.

Steinbeck, Meyer and Schmeltz each turned in their best marks of the season with times of 19:03.2, 19:10.1 and 19:12.7 to claim eighth, 11th and 12th respectively, while Foster's personal-best time of 19:17 was good for 14th and Schroder's finish of 19:19.6 was her best of the year and earned 15th place.

"Our top seven has been different every meet," added White. "Andrea and Anissa were huge today. I am extremely proud of everyone for how we stepped up today."

Taylor's back-to-back league championships match TU's titles in 1995 and 1996 and give the Trojans four conference titles in program history.

"We talked about controlled passion and making sure we used our gifts today," concluded White. "I truly feel that we did that and I am so proud of this team."

The Trojans (97-4) will now turn their focus towards the NAIA Nationals in Lawrence, Kansas on November 22. TU claimed tenth place in the nation during the 2013 nationals for the highest finish in program history.