Nov. 2, 2003
East Lansing, MI – The University of Iowa cross country team competed at a rain soaked Big Ten Championships Sunday afternoon on the campus of Michigan State. The women’s team finished 11th overall with 241 team points.
The Hawkeye women ran with a full roster for the first time this season but were unable to avoid an 11th place finish. Michigan took home the team title with 31 points. Individual champion Rebecca Walter paced the Wolverine effort, running the 6,000-meter course in 20:40. Host Michigan State finished second with 57 team points while Penn State (76), Indiana (164) and Wisconsin (167) rounded out the top five.
Australian native Nikki Chapple was Iowa’s top individual for the third consecutive meet. The freshman finished 15th overall with a time of 21:45. Junior Katie Donlon and senior Sarah Arens each contributed with top 50 finishes. Donlon finished 44th overall in 22:28 and Arens finished the 6K course in 22:33, good enough for 49th overall. Georgia Millward (59th, 22:51), Shannon Stanley (74th, 23:40), Jenni Capista (76th, 23:51) and Atalie Barber (77th, 24:09) completed the Hawkeye roster.
The Iowa squad will now prepare for the NCAA Regional Championships, which will be held Saturday, Nov. 15, in Stillwater, OK.