University of Minnesota Athletics
WCC: 2004 Season in Review
12/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
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The 2004 Season in Review
The 2004 Golden Gophers fell just short of their goal of advancing to the NCAA Championships but over the course of the season, hit a stride and jelled as a team. Minnesota, blending some veteran runners with some untested youth, became a team set on climbing the standings in both Big Ten and NCAA Midwest Region competitions.
Minnesota improved to fourth-place in the team standings of both the NCAA Midwest Regional and the Big Ten, jumping up two places from its finish in 2003.
Coming into the season, the Gophers were hopeful that the return of fifth-year Darja Vasiljeva, Minnesota’s top 6K harrier in school history, would bolster the team’s chances at an NCAA berth. Unfortunately, Vasiljeva was forced to retire from competitive running due to a hamstring injury. The Gophers were able to accomplish something they hadn’t in previous years when faced with adversity. This season, the Gophers came together and new leaders emerged.
One such leader was Lauren Williams, a junior, who won the Oz Memorial Run in the first meet of the season and garnered all-region accord in the final one. Williams vaulted into the team’s number-one position after spending her first two season hovering in the team’s sixth or seventh spot.
Ladia Albertson-Junkans blossomed in her true freshman season to finish as the Gophers’ number-two runner by season’s end. Albertson-Junkans will carry a little extra motivation into the 2005 season after missing both All-Big Ten and All-Midwest Region honors by one place.
En route to a fourth-place showing at the NCAA Midwest Region Championships, the Gophers sported a team with just one senior (Zoe Nagell) among the top seven. Sophomore Emily Brown improved steadily after another off-season foot surgery to finish as the Gophers’ number-three runner at the regional meet. Juniors Jen Hess and Harper McConnell and freshman Annie Yetzer completed the Minnesota contingent at the Midwest meet.
A Quick Look to the Future
Minnesota will welcome 15 letterwinners back for the 2005 season, led by All-Midwest Region honoree Lauren Williams. Captains for the 2005 season are Williams, Harper McConnell and Lisa Remark.
Wilson Celebrated 20th Season
Minnesota head coach Gary Wilson celebrated his 20th season with the Golden Gophers with the 2004 season. Wilson has guided the Gophers to seven NCAA Championships appearances.
Making the Grade
Women’s cross country team members, Sarah Hesser, Carly Emil and Paula Hoffert, earned three of the five prestigious Top-Five Awards honoring the top cumulative grade point averages among women student-athletes at Minnesota. An impressive 17 Golden Gophers were honored on the Academic All-Big Ten honor squad.
Lauren Williams Named Team MVP
Junior Lauren Williams was honored as the Golden Gophers' Most Valuable Runner as the Minnesota women's cross country team celebrated the 2004 season and announced postseason awards at the annual team banquet.
Williams was selected to the team's top honor by a vote of her teammates. The Edina, Minn., native was the Gophers' number-one runner in six meets this season and ran to second-team All-Big Ten and All-Midwest Region honors. Her time of 21 minutes, 14.95 seconds in placing 19th at the NCAA Midwest Region Championships, is the seventh fastest in Minnesota history.
Freshman Ladia Albertson-Junkans was named the team's Rookie of the Year. Albertson-Junkans finished one place out of individual honors at both the Big Ten and NCAA Midwest Region Championships. Her time of 21:28.97 at the Midwest Region meet was the 11th best in school history and the third-fastest time run by a freshman.
Other team awards announced were: Most Improved Runner – Stefanie Zeihen; Comeback Runner of the Year – Emily Brown; Tough as Nails Award – Jen Hess and the Blue Collar Award – Katie Howery. The entire 2004 squad shared the Coaches' Award.
Varsity letters for the 2004 season were awarded to Albertson-Junkans, Gabriele Anderson, Brown, Carly Emil, Tracy Fleischhacker, Hess, Sarah Hesser, Howery, Harper McConnell, Zoe Nagell, Jessica Syfko, Annie Wells, Williams, Annie Yetzer and Zeihen.
The 2004 team captains, Fleishhacker, McConnell, Hesser, Lisa Remark and Darja Vasiljeva were recognized for their leadership of the squad. The banquet was concluded with the announcement of the captains for the 2005 Golden Gophers: Remark, McConnell and Williams.
- Click Here for 2004 Golden Gopher Season in Review
The 2004 Season in Review
The 2004 Golden Gophers fell just short of their goal of advancing to the NCAA Championships but over the course of the season, hit a stride and jelled as a team. Minnesota, blending some veteran runners with some untested youth, became a team set on climbing the standings in both Big Ten and NCAA Midwest Region competitions.
Minnesota improved to fourth-place in the team standings of both the NCAA Midwest Regional and the Big Ten, jumping up two places from its finish in 2003.
Coming into the season, the Gophers were hopeful that the return of fifth-year Darja Vasiljeva, Minnesota’s top 6K harrier in school history, would bolster the team’s chances at an NCAA berth. Unfortunately, Vasiljeva was forced to retire from competitive running due to a hamstring injury. The Gophers were able to accomplish something they hadn’t in previous years when faced with adversity. This season, the Gophers came together and new leaders emerged.
One such leader was Lauren Williams, a junior, who won the Oz Memorial Run in the first meet of the season and garnered all-region accord in the final one. Williams vaulted into the team’s number-one position after spending her first two season hovering in the team’s sixth or seventh spot.
Ladia Albertson-Junkans blossomed in her true freshman season to finish as the Gophers’ number-two runner by season’s end. Albertson-Junkans will carry a little extra motivation into the 2005 season after missing both All-Big Ten and All-Midwest Region honors by one place.
En route to a fourth-place showing at the NCAA Midwest Region Championships, the Gophers sported a team with just one senior (Zoe Nagell) among the top seven. Sophomore Emily Brown improved steadily after another off-season foot surgery to finish as the Gophers’ number-three runner at the regional meet. Juniors Jen Hess and Harper McConnell and freshman Annie Yetzer completed the Minnesota contingent at the Midwest meet.
A Quick Look to the Future
Minnesota will welcome 15 letterwinners back for the 2005 season, led by All-Midwest Region honoree Lauren Williams. Captains for the 2005 season are Williams, Harper McConnell and Lisa Remark.
Wilson Celebrated 20th Season
Minnesota head coach Gary Wilson celebrated his 20th season with the Golden Gophers with the 2004 season. Wilson has guided the Gophers to seven NCAA Championships appearances.
Making the Grade
Women’s cross country team members, Sarah Hesser, Carly Emil and Paula Hoffert, earned three of the five prestigious Top-Five Awards honoring the top cumulative grade point averages among women student-athletes at Minnesota. An impressive 17 Golden Gophers were honored on the Academic All-Big Ten honor squad.
Lauren Williams Named Team MVP
Junior Lauren Williams was honored as the Golden Gophers' Most Valuable Runner as the Minnesota women's cross country team celebrated the 2004 season and announced postseason awards at the annual team banquet.
Williams was selected to the team's top honor by a vote of her teammates. The Edina, Minn., native was the Gophers' number-one runner in six meets this season and ran to second-team All-Big Ten and All-Midwest Region honors. Her time of 21 minutes, 14.95 seconds in placing 19th at the NCAA Midwest Region Championships, is the seventh fastest in Minnesota history.
Freshman Ladia Albertson-Junkans was named the team's Rookie of the Year. Albertson-Junkans finished one place out of individual honors at both the Big Ten and NCAA Midwest Region Championships. Her time of 21:28.97 at the Midwest Region meet was the 11th best in school history and the third-fastest time run by a freshman.
Other team awards announced were: Most Improved Runner – Stefanie Zeihen; Comeback Runner of the Year – Emily Brown; Tough as Nails Award – Jen Hess and the Blue Collar Award – Katie Howery. The entire 2004 squad shared the Coaches' Award.
Varsity letters for the 2004 season were awarded to Albertson-Junkans, Gabriele Anderson, Brown, Carly Emil, Tracy Fleischhacker, Hess, Sarah Hesser, Howery, Harper McConnell, Zoe Nagell, Jessica Syfko, Annie Wells, Williams, Annie Yetzer and Zeihen.
The 2004 team captains, Fleishhacker, McConnell, Hesser, Lisa Remark and Darja Vasiljeva were recognized for their leadership of the squad. The banquet was concluded with the announcement of the captains for the 2005 Golden Gophers: Remark, McConnell and Williams.
Players Mentioned
