Stephanie Cotter Continues in Winning Way - NCAA Div II Regional 2019
Another Fine Win for Stephanie Cotter in NCAA Div II Regional Cross-Country
Canyon, Texas
Saturday November 9th 2019
Stephanie Cotter leads the pack in the early stages
In her second cross-country race of the season, and following on from her RMAC Cross-Country Championship win, Stephanie Cotter, Adams State university and West Muskerry AC, won the Regional Championships, in Canyon, Texas, in equally fine form. Running 20:53.50 for the 6k course, Stephanie had a margin of over 8 seconds over fellow ASU athlete Eilish Flanagan, in 21:01.75, and led Adams State University to team honours.
Not your average Irish Cross-Country setting! Stephanie leads team-mate Eilish Flanagan
Adams State Report
CANYON, Texas – The Adams State University Men's and Women's Cross Country teams traveled out to Canyon, Texas this weekend with high hopes of what was to come at the Regional Meet. They now come back to Alamosa with some hardware to show off, as well as a feared reputation nationally. The Women's team in its second straight dominant performance head back to Alamosa the undisputed Southwest Regional Champions. This was due in part to huge performances from their studs across the board, as the Grizzlies had five finishers in the top 10 of the race, including the winner, Stephanie Cotter.
Cotter, who finished with a time of 20:53.50, took home the Regional Campion crown in the Women's 6k. Stephanie was followed by a melee of Grizzlies, as her teammate Eilish Flanagan came in right behind her, in second place, in a time of 21:01.75. This is the second straight race that Cotter and Flanagan have gone one and two, and both are among the top runners in nation.
Following Cotter, in first, and Flanagan, in second, were Haleigh Hunter-Galvan, in fourth, with a time of 21:33.67, Tiffany Christensen in seventh, with a time of 21:43.40, and Kaylee Bogina, in tenth with a time of 21:52.46, to round out the top five Grizzlies. Notable performances for the Women also included Piper Meuwissen in 32nd with a time of 23:04.15, and Brianna Robles in 41st with a 23:22.22. Unless anything changes, these top-seven finishers should be the team that the Grizzlies take to Nationals, as they came home with the NCAA Southwest Regional Crown Saturday. They compete next at the NCAA Division II National Championships in Sacramento, California two weeks from Saturday.
For the Grizzlies, Sacramento awaits as they load up to make another run at National Titles. For the women, it has been smooth sailing all year long, and they really have not been tested by another team all season. They have stayed atop the polls as the number one team in Division II since the first week of the season, and they look to close out their dominant season with another National Crown.
Stephanie Cotter of Adams State (Colo.) placed first individually with a time of 23:53.5.
Adams State finished first, with a team score of 24. Colorado School of Mines came in second, with a team score of 51, and Western Colorado placed third, with a team score of 69. The top three teams advance to the NCAA Division II Championship, in Sacramento, California, in two weeks time.
NCAA Report
The women’s cross country team from Adams State is keeping the pedal to the floor. After sweeping the top five spots in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference race two weeks ago, they placed five runners in the top 10 in the South Central Regional in Range Canyon, Texas to easily qualify for the NCAA Division 2 championship race next Saturday in Sacramento. Leading the way once again for the Grizzlies was Stephanie Cotter. The sophomore out of Cork broke the tape in 20:53.5 for 6,000 meters. Next in, at 21:01.8, was teammate Eilish Flanagan, a senior from Gortin, Co. Tyrone, and running with Carmen Runners AC.
