Fighting Bee men make it four in a row, women two to nationals

 The St. Ambrose University men’s cross country team is headed back to the NAIA Cross Country National Championships.

 On Saturday, the Fighting Bees used a 1-2 finish by John Darmody (So., O’Dea/Everett, WA) and Kevin Randle (Fr., Tremper/Kenosha, WI) to propel themselves to their fourth straight Midwest Collegiate Conference Championship.

 Darmody set a new course record and ran the 4th fastest time in school history crossing the line in 25:50, while Randle finished in 26:08 the school’s 6th fastest time.

 Senior Doug Brusich (Sr., Dickinson/Dickinson, ND) captured the seventh and last All-Conference slot for the second time in his career while the Bees top 5 all finished in the top 10.

 With the win, the Bees automatically qualified for the NAIA National Championships to be held at Fort Vancouver, Wash. on November 21.

 Rounding out the Bees scoring was Ryan Buchanan (Fr., Charles City/ Charles City, IA), Keith Randle (Jr., St. Joseph/Kenosha, WI), Austin Quinn (Jr., Central Catholic/Bloomington, IL) and Robbie Pogue (Fr., Central/Davenport, IA).

  For the second year in a row Brooke Ashcraft and Lauren Cleary will be representing the St. Ambrose women’s cross country team at the NAIA Cross Country National Championships.

 At the Midwest Collegiate Conference Championships, Ashcraft (Jr., United Twp./East Moline, IL) finished third in a time of 19:51, while Lauren Cleary (Sr., Central/Naperville, IL) took the fifth and final qualifying slot by finishing in 8th place in a time of 20:25.

 The women finished 3rd in the 8-team conference meet, as Abby Parsons (Jr., LaSalle-Peru/LaSalle, IL), Chelsee Lisk (Fr., Rushville- Industry/Rushville, IL),, Dana Maier (So., Sandburg/Orland Park, IL), Kristen Sying (So., Andrew/Tinley Park, IL) and Tina Eden (Fr., Moline/Moline, IL) rounded out the Bees scoring.

 Mt. Mercy won the women’s meet for the fourth straight year and Grand View’s Obsie Birru won the race in 18:25.