University of Minnesota Athletics
Mikkalson Leads Gophers at Rocky's Run
11/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Nov. 8, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS - Taylor Mikkalson, Molly Eastman, and Emily Castanias led the Gophers as the Minnesota women's cross country team hosted its final home meet of the season Sunday morning. The 35th annual running of Rocky's Run saw 133 finishers complete the six-kilometer race at Les Bolstad Course.
Mikkalson was the fifth female finisher in the open 6K, placing 37th overall in 23:35.1. Eastman was the sixth female in 23:43.5, folllowed by Castanias in seventh in 24:12.6. Melissa Cabak (24:35.1) and Nicole Heitzman (24:40.3) completed Minnesota's top five runners in 12th and 14th, respectively.
"I thought everybody did a really nice job," head coach Sarah Hopkins said. "They pack-ran really well. There were a couple groups who did a nice job of finding each other and running well together. I liked a lot of the pieces of a lot of people's races. I think it's a really good stepping stone for them, not only going into track season but also next year's cross country season.
"Like I told the team, there is going to be someone who ran here today on next year's Big Ten team, and that race will be here basically one week earlier. It's great practice for getting on this course again at this time of the year."
Madeline Brighouse Glueck (25:31.2), Naomi Ollila (26:01.0), Laura Werking (26:14.0), and Sarah Klecker (26:41.8) rounded out the Gophers' lineup in 16th through 19th, respectively.
Four Gophers competed unattached in the race in Abby Kargol (24:20.3), Ally Smith (24:23.2), Haley Rasmussen (24:24.7), and Megan Flanagan (25:20.6). Minnesota strength and conditioning coach Kristin Zdanczewicz also ran, finishing in 33:44.0.
"Like I told the team, it's really hard to maintain your focus when you're training for a smaller meet like this," Hopkins said. "To be able to go out there and run solid is an accomplishment. I know very few people can come out and PR in this type of field just because there isn't quite as much energy."
Rocky's Run had 133 finishers, led by overall champion Dan Greeno of Run N Fun in 19:16.1. The top female finisher was Cynthia Jerop, also representing Run N Fun, in 21:34.2.
Rocky's Run was founded in 1981 to honor former Gopher runner Rochelle "Rocky" Racette, who died in a car accident that fall at the age of 22. While at the University of Minnesota, Racette was an All-American in track & field and cross country and champion of the Big Ten and Drake Relays 5,000-meter titles. The annual race is staged by the many members of the running community who knew and loved her. Racette's legacy lives on through the memory of those who knew her, and through Rocky's Run and the scholarship for which it raises money.
Minnesota heads to the Midwest Regional in Lawrence, Kan., next Friday, Nov. 13, looking to secure its 11th-straight NCAA Championship bid. The Midwest Regional women's 6K is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. CT at Rim Rock Farm.
The top two teams from each of nine regional meets automatically advance to the 2015 NCAA Championships in Louisville, Ky., on Saturday, Nov. 21. Teams receiving at-large bids will fill the remaining 13 spots at the national meet.
Rocky's Run: Gopher Finishers
5. Taylor Mikkalson, 23:35.1
6. Molly Eastman, 23:43.5
7. Emily Castanias, 24:12.6
12. Melissa Cabak, 24:35.1
14. Nicole Heitzman, 24:40.3
16. Madeline Brighouse Glueck, 25:31.2
17. Naomi Ollila, 26:01.0
18. Laura Werking, 26:14.0
19. Sarah Klecker, 26:41.8
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Players Mentioned
