RESULTS
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Ariel Michalek earned runner up at the 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Championships for the second-consecutive year with a time at 17:33, while Standout Kyle Mattes captured all-MVC First Team with a fourth-place finish at a time of 24:42.
Illinois State women's cross country team finished fifth with 99 points. Northern Iowa were the women's team champions with a total of 52 points, while Bradley (64) and Wichita State (82) rounded out in second and third place, respectively
For the men, ISU finished fourth overall with a total of 108 points. Bradley won by a landslide with 24 points, as Bradley's top-five runners finished in the top-10 overall. Wichita State took second with 82 points, while Indiana State finished in third with 84 points.
Michalek had a spectacular performance as she led the way majority of the race. In the final 800 meters, Wichita State's Rebakah Tompham broke away from Michalek and won the women's 5K with a time of 17:24.
"I am really proud of Ariel's (Michalek) race today," Illinois State Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Jeff Bovee said. "It is not easy being runner up two years in a round, and I know she was going for the individual win, but (Rebakah) Tompham ran a really good race. Ariel (Michalek) put everything out there today and really stepped it up for us." Â Â
Freshman Grace Beattie ran a strong race, as she finished second for the Redbirds at a time of 18:19 and placed 17th overall, nearly missing all-MVC honorable mention. Erica Brown finished third for Illinois State in 21st place with a time of 18:28.
Ashley England and Lindsey Lewis both posted a strong effort, as they finished fourth and fifth for the Redbirds, and picked up times at 18:36 and 18:53, respectively.
On the men's side, Jeff Bajema ran a tremendous race as he earned all-MVC honorable mention with a 11th-place finished at a time of 25:14. This is Bajema's second-consecutive year earning all-MVC honorable mention.
"For the men, Kyle (Mattes) led the way for us today and I am incredibly proud of him," Bovee said. "It is hard to get All-MVC First Team in two years in a round, especially hard to do freshman and sophomore year. I was really please with Jeff's (Bajema) performance today as well. He just missed All-MVC and was so close. I know he was disappointed not getting top-10, but I am really proud of his race. This was Jeff's (Bajema) best race all year. "
Freshman Kevin Koski finished third for the Redbirds at a time of 26:07. Paul Steeno ran a strong effort as he finished fourth for Illinois State with a time of 26:21. Brian Sodaro picked up a time of 26:45 and finished fifth for the Redbirds.
Both men's and women's are back in action on Nov. 11, as they travel to Iowa City, Iowa, to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional.
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