Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Schirmer, Hoelscher named MVC Runners of the Week
09/16/2008 | 12:00:00 | Cross Country
Sept. 16, 2008
St. Louis, Mo. - Valley runners continue to show well through the first month of the season as four athletes were race winners and 20 competitors placed in the top-five of their respective races over the weekend. Four team titles were also secured, as both the Indiana State and Southern Illinois men's and women's squads all won their respective team titles.
Junior Jeff Schirmer won the men's individual title at the Eastern Illinois Panther Open in Charleston, Ill., leading the Saluki men to the team victory as seven Southern Illinois runners claimed spots in the top-10. The Saluki women also won the EIU Panther Open team championship, led by sophomore Megan Hoelscher, who finished second in the 5k event.
The Indiana State men and women swept the team titles at the Bradley Open, behind the outstanding individual performances of Scott Keeney and Heather Stembridge. The Sycamore men earned the top-five positions at the Bradley Open, dominating the field of 29 competitors.
UNI senior Caedryn Shrunk crossed the finish line first at the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa, finishing the 3k race with a time of 10:39.58. Shrunk paced a pack of Panthers, as UNI claimed four of the top-five spots in the meet.
Five Valley teams - Illinois State (men and women), Missouri State (women), Southern Illinois (men) and Wichita State (women) - are found in this week's USTFCCCA Regional Rankings.
On the men's side, Southern Illinois checks in at the No. 8 position in the Midwest Region, followed by Illinois State at No. 10.
On the women's side, preseason favorite Missouri State (10) leads the pack that includes Wichita State (11) and Illinois State (15), all in the Midwest Region.
This week, six MVC teams are in action, including two schools hosting their own events. Illinois State will host the Illinois Intercollegiate, while Missouri State welcomes Wichita State to the Missouri State Classic in Springfield, Mo. Indiana State will head to Bloomington, Ind., to take part in the Indiana Intercollegiate, while Creighton makes the trip to Lincoln, Neb., to participate in the Woody Greeno Invitational. Evansville will compete at the Earl Jacoby Memorial in Huntsville, Ala.
This week's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Runners of the Week are Jeff Schirmer and Megan Hoelscher of Southern Illinois.
Junior Jeff Schirmer repeated as the Eastern Illinois Panther Open race champion for the second-straight season, posting a time of 25:14.29 in the 8k race. Schirmer led Southern Illinois to a first-place finish, as the Salukis claimed seven of the top-10 spots to secure the team victory.
Sophomore Megan Hoelscher took top honors for the Salukis at the Eastern Illinois Panther Open, finishing second on the 5k course with a time of 18:30.18. Hoelscher paced a pack of Southern Illinois runners, as the Salukis claimed three of the top-five spots on their way to the EIU Panther Open title.
