Dordt's Kempers is GPAC cross country runner of year
Posted: Thursday, November 13, 2008
Jen Kempers, a senior from Dordt College, has been named the Great Plains Athletic Conference's female cross country runner of the year and heads the league's cross country team that has been selected.
Kempers, a native of Sioux Center, Iowa, posted her fifth victory of the season at last Saturday's Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships at Hastings, Neb., clocked in 17:51.85. Kempers, who also won meets at Dordt, Dakota Wesleyan, Dakota State and Briar Cliff, also placed second at the Mount Marty/South Dakota Graphic Edge Invitational on Oct. 25 at Vermillion, S.D., where she was the runnerup to South Dakota standout Ramsey Fitzsimmons.
Kempers made the all-conference squad for the third straight. She and Brent Van Schepen of the men's squad will compete in the NAIA national meet in Keonosha, Wis., on Nov. 22.
Dordt head coach Greg Van Dyke has been named the GPAC's women's cross country coach of the year. The Defenders placed fourth at the GPAC Championships.
Morningside's Kara Nelson and Erin Lynn Keitges were among the Siouxland area runners on the women's team. Others included Northwestern's Charity Miles and Briar Cliff's Taylor Braunberger.
Concordia's Zach Meineke, who was timed in 25:29.49 while winning the GPAC men's meet, is the GPAC's men's cross country runner of the year. Concordia Coach Kregg Einspahr, who led his team to a second-place finish, has been named the league's men's cross country coach of the year.
Morningside's Brian Gesink was among the 15 male runners selected to the squad.
GPAC All-Conference Cross Country Team
Women's Team
Jen Kempers, Sr., Dordt; Jackie Spelts, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Kara Nelson, So., Morningside; Charity Miles, So., Northwestern; Bridget Baldwin, Sr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Erin Lynn Keitges, Jr., Morningside; Viviana Arreola, Jr., Doane; Hayley Sutter, So., Nebraska Wesleyan; Taylor Braunberger, Fr., Briar Cliff; Clare Hoarty, Sr., Doane; Lindsay Erger, Sr., Sioux Falls; Scottie Shaw, Jr., Hastings; Alicia Marteney, So., Concordia; Malaina Huebert, Fr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Ann Hershberger, Jr., Concordia.
Men's Team
Zach Meineke, Jr., Concordia; Luka Thor, Jr., Concordia; Andrew Laflin, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Logan Watley, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Sufian Kimo, Jr., Doane; Brian Copley, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Tyson Billings, So., Concordia; Neil Wolford, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Brian Eicher, Jr., Hastings; Bryan Felker, Sr., Concordia; Thomas Madut, Jr., Dakota Wesleyan; Paul Garcia, Jr., Doane; Thomas Christianson, Jr., Sioux Falls; Edwin Ronoh, So., Doane; Brian Gesink, So., Morningside.
Kempers, a native of Sioux Center, Iowa, posted her fifth victory of the season at last Saturday's Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships at Hastings, Neb., clocked in 17:51.85. Kempers, who also won meets at Dordt, Dakota Wesleyan, Dakota State and Briar Cliff, also placed second at the Mount Marty/South Dakota Graphic Edge Invitational on Oct. 25 at Vermillion, S.D., where she was the runnerup to South Dakota standout Ramsey Fitzsimmons.
Kempers made the all-conference squad for the third straight. She and Brent Van Schepen of the men's squad will compete in the NAIA national meet in Keonosha, Wis., on Nov. 22.
Dordt head coach Greg Van Dyke has been named the GPAC's women's cross country coach of the year. The Defenders placed fourth at the GPAC Championships.
Morningside's Kara Nelson and Erin Lynn Keitges were among the Siouxland area runners on the women's team. Others included Northwestern's Charity Miles and Briar Cliff's Taylor Braunberger.
Concordia's Zach Meineke, who was timed in 25:29.49 while winning the GPAC men's meet, is the GPAC's men's cross country runner of the year. Concordia Coach Kregg Einspahr, who led his team to a second-place finish, has been named the league's men's cross country coach of the year.
Morningside's Brian Gesink was among the 15 male runners selected to the squad.
GPAC All-Conference Cross Country Team
Women's Team
Jen Kempers, Sr., Dordt; Jackie Spelts, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Kara Nelson, So., Morningside; Charity Miles, So., Northwestern; Bridget Baldwin, Sr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Erin Lynn Keitges, Jr., Morningside; Viviana Arreola, Jr., Doane; Hayley Sutter, So., Nebraska Wesleyan; Taylor Braunberger, Fr., Briar Cliff; Clare Hoarty, Sr., Doane; Lindsay Erger, Sr., Sioux Falls; Scottie Shaw, Jr., Hastings; Alicia Marteney, So., Concordia; Malaina Huebert, Fr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Ann Hershberger, Jr., Concordia.
Men's Team
Zach Meineke, Jr., Concordia; Luka Thor, Jr., Concordia; Andrew Laflin, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Logan Watley, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Sufian Kimo, Jr., Doane; Brian Copley, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Tyson Billings, So., Concordia; Neil Wolford, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan; Brian Eicher, Jr., Hastings; Bryan Felker, Sr., Concordia; Thomas Madut, Jr., Dakota Wesleyan; Paul Garcia, Jr., Doane; Thomas Christianson, Jr., Sioux Falls; Edwin Ronoh, So., Doane; Brian Gesink, So., Morningside.
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