Ricks women's team captures national cross-country title
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Ricks College won the National Junior College Athletic Association women's cross country championship Nov. 11, the second consecutive year the lady Vikings claimed the title.
Ricks' outdistanced second-place Central Oregon Community College by 17 points. Central Oregon had previously defeated the Vikings by a point at the recent district meet. Ricks received an at-large bid to the national meet, and was the first at-large team to capture the national crown."We hit our true peak at the nationals," said coach Ferron Sonderegger. "One reason we have been so successful this year and last is that the seven girls on the team are in total unity. They live the gospel, and they feel when they run they represent their Church and their Heavenly Father."
Four of the five top Viking finishers in the 5-K course were in the top 25, and received All-America honors. Leading Ricks was Cindy Reeder, who was fourth overall with a time of 17 minutes, 41 seconds - 29 seconds behind the winner.
Heidi Smith was seventh overall, followed by Elizabeth Humphries, 20th; Lynette Hansen, 21st; and Kristin Galbraith, 26th. Finishing just out of the scoring but well up in the pack of 150 runners were Stephanie Ward, 28th; and Nicole Bunting, 32nd.
