Liz Schmitz wasn’t going to let it happen again this year.
A year removed from finishing one spot out of making a trip to Nationals, the sophomore from Maple Grove, Minn., placed fifth at the Heart of America Athletic Conference championship cross country meet Nov. 7, leading a women’s team that finished 2nd overall.
Schmitz’s performance earned her a spot at the Nov. 21 NAIA National Championship in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“[Schmitz’s qualification for nationals] is really good,” head coach Rex Lane said. “It’ll be exciting. She will represent the school very well and the conference very well, I’m sure.”
Lane picked up an honor of his own, being named the HAAC Women’s Coach of the Year for guiding a team that featured two other all-conference runners. Freshmen Amber Fitzpatrick and Martha
Evans finished ninth and tenth, respectively.
The men’s team faced a little more adversity, finishing fourth overall. Though Luke Gross and Gary Foster earned all-conference finishes, Jordan Mahood finished a spot out of the top 15.
The Ravens also suffered a setback when Mike Brubaker was unable to finish after being tripped up in the third mile of the race.
