CROWDER RUNS SECOND-FASTEST 5K TIME IN ISU HISTORY AT ILLINI CHALLENGE

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Senior Jessica Crowder continued her stellar final season as a Sycamore by running the second-fastest 5K time in Indiana State women's cross country history at the Illini Challenge on Saturday morning.

Crowder placed second with a time of 17:31, second all-time behind Debbi Ramseyer's mark of 17:28 (Oct. 31, 1992 - Normal, Ill.), to lead the Sycamores to a fourth-place finish with 114 points. The host Illinois Fighting Illini took first with 43 points, followed by  Miami (OH) with 53. Southern Illinois was third with 87 points followed by the Sycamores. Bowling Green (124), Cincinnati (136), Northern Illinois (177), DePaul (213), Ohio (227) and Wright State (281) rounded out the competition.

"This was one of the best-ever races run by Jessica," ISU women's cross country coach John Gartland said. "She finished very strong and is in some very good company in our program's history."

Freshman Maile Venable was the next Sycamore to cross the finish line, coming in at 14th with a time of 18:35. Sophomore Sarah Jarvis was 18th with a mark of 18:45. Junior Carolyn Chase (39th - 19:12) and senior Amber Bucci (44th - 19:20) concluded the five scoring places.

"I am disappointed because Southern Illinois has taken away some of our momentum for the Missouri Valley Conference meet in a couple of weeks," Gartland said. "After beating them last week, they came back and beat us by quite a bit today."

Junior Carol Linneweber (47th - 19:25) and freshmen Dani Prince (48th - 19:26) and Laura Engle (49th - 19:28) all finished in a tight pack.

The Sycamores are off next week as it prepares for the MVC meet on November 1 in Des Moines, Iowa.