Owls Open 2009 Season at Mizzou

(COLUMBIA, Mo., Sept. 12) - The William Woods University women's cross country team opened the 2009 season at the University of Missouri Cross Country Challenge in Columbia, Mo. WWU finished fourth in a field of five teams. The field consisted of primarily NCAA Division I schools.

The University of Missouri won the event, placing five runners in the top 10. Kansas University and St. Louis University finished second and third respectively.

Junior Kristi Palmer (Ste. Genevieve, Mo.) was the top runner for the Owls. Palmer finished 22nd in a field of 53 runners. She finished the 5k race with a time of 20:13.7. Teammate Amy Gangloff (Wellsville, Mo.) finished 36th in the event. Gangloff, a freshman, completed the race with a time of 21:21.8. Kaitie Vanatta (University of Missouri) won the race with a time of 17:54.3.

Other William Woods runners included:

Freshman Brooke Thibodaux (Wildwood, Mo.) - 40th with a time of 22:20.5.

Sophomore Jordan Locke (Hannibal, Mo.) - 42nd with a time of 23:12.2.

Freshman Stephanie Candrl (High Ridge, Mo.) - 45th with a time of 23:44.0.

Freshman Jessie Wright (Linn, Mo.) - 46th with a time of 23:49.9.

Freshman Whitney Hardy (Dixon, Mo.) - 47th with a time of 25:10.5.

Freshman Chelsea Ziebert (Sandy, Utah) - 51st with a time of 26:59.7.

Freshman Taylor Brondel (Jefferson City, Mo.) - 52nd with a time of 27:54.5.

The Owls will return to action on September 19th. WWU will compete in the Missouri Southern University Stampede in Joplin, Mo.