Women's cross country team hosts 2010 MIAA Jamboree

OLIVET, Mich. -- For the first time in recent school history, the Olivet College women's cross country team hosted the MIAA Jamboree at the Olivet Golf Club.

"We were very excited to host the MIAA Cross Country Jamboree at the Olivet Golf Club," said Olivet Head Women's Coach Karen Lutzke. "The course was spectator friendly and had a lot of supporters cheering us today."

Defending conference champion Calvin College successfully repeated as MIAA jamboree champs in the women's race. The Knights had five of the top seven finishers to score 21 points. Hope was second with 34, followed by Saint Mary's 104, Adrian 131, Albion 147, Alma 152, Kalamazoo 192, Trine 210 and Olivet 268.

Junior Brittany Marshall (Canton, Ga./Woodstock) paced the Comet women, finishing the 6K race in 26:57. Freshman Anna Krausz (Lyons/Portland) was next in 27:10, followed by freshman Liz Stewart (Vermontville/Maple Valley) in 29:50.

"One of our goals for the jamboree was to make improvements from the first meet of the season," said Lutzke. We competed better and the ladies were able to work together to push each other. Today's race was the longest some of the ladies have ever raced, so it was a great learning experience for the remainder of the season."

Olivet will next compete at the Michigan Intercollegiates Oct. 9 at Oakland University.