Results: https://xc.tfrrs.org/results/xc/9178.html
Seniors
Erik Peterson and
Olivia Pratt will represent Butler at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships next weekend after both runners placed in the top six individually at Friday's (Nov. 13) Great Lakes Regional.
Pratt, who went to the national championships in 2013 and scored on the Butler women's squad that would take third in the nation as a team that year, qualifies for nationals as an individual for the first time in her collegiate career. Her time of 20:48.0 was good enough for sixth in the region. This was her second year as an All-Region honoree.
"This is such a wonderful moment for Olivia," Butler coach
Matt Roe said. "She has had a series of setbacks the last two years and just stuck with it.
"To run how she did in her hometown as a senior was truly special. She was on fire today."
Peterson, already an All-American from a 22nd-place finish at last year's national meet, took fifth overall in the men's 10-kilometer run. He clocked 30:31.5 in windy conditions, becoming a member of the All-Region team for the third year in a row.
"Erik had a lot to lose today with the region being the toughest in the country from an individual standpoint," Roe said. "(But) he ran like a veteran guy, weathered the storm, and did what he needed to do to advance."
Roe said runners like Pratt and Peterson are what many coaches only hope for.
"It's a pleasure as a coach to watch two runners come in with such little fanfare and advance to the national level, running their best as seniors," he said.
In the team scoring, Butler's women took 12th with 314 points. No. 7 Michigan won the regional title with 69 points. No. 15 Notre Dame trailed the Wolverines by just 10 points, led by a 1-2 finish from Molly Seidel and Anna Rohrer. Defending Great Lakes Regional champions Michigan State took third with 88 points.
"We were really close to finishing where we're capable of in the team standings, but came up a touch short," Roe said, adding that he would have liked to see the women finish in the top ten.
"We have made progress from where we started this season, but we were drawing a short straw from the get-go," he said, referring to having to race without his planned roster. "Ultimately... to make the NCAA meet, we cannot leave scholarship athletes at home, or have athletes miss training time."
Butler's women's performances included Katherine Turner (21:17.9; 31st), Colleen Weatherford (21:44.3; 52nd), Maddie Westerhoff (22:20.2; 87th), Laura Riches (23:19.7; 138th), Meredith Gallagher (23:37.1; 159th), and Caroline Kaplan (24:25; 186th).
On the men's side, Butler took 13th overall with a final score of 323 points, which put them ahead of 17 other squads at the regional.
The men's individual finishes included Bobby Johnson (31:57.3; 50th), Johnny Leverenz (32:43.6; 84th), Jacob Priddey (32:49.6; 91st), Billy Thomas (32:50.6; 93rd), Eric Baugh (33:01.4; 107th); and James Martin (35:29.2; 185th).
But as one of the youngest teams in the nation, Roe said, his team is in the midst of a steep learning curve right now.
"This a group of smart, prideful guys," Roe said. "They just need more time. Today helped them understand where they are at and what they need to do to be at the top in the region.
"I expect them to grow a ton in this next year."
Paced by Mason Ferlic, who took the individual crown, national No. 5 Michigan won the team title with 67 points, followed by Michigan State with 88. Wisconsin took sixth this year after winning the title in 2014.
"Our objective is to race on the last day of the season as a team, and that goal will not change regardless of circumstances," Roe said.
Pratt and Peterson will be back in action Saturday, Nov. 21, at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship hosted by Louisville.
