Allie Ostrander, competing for Boise State University at the NCAA Cross Country Running Championships, finished fourth in the Division I women’s race; Ostrander records her second, top-four finish in two appearances at the NCAA cross country championships.
Ostrander posted a time of 19:31.2 for the six-kilometer course, finishing only two and a half seconds out of third place and four seconds out of second place. Ednah Kurgat from New Mexico topped the field with a championship time of 19:19.5. New Mexico won the overall team championship for NCAA Division I Cross Country.
Press Release courtesy of Boise State sports information….
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The upward ascension of the Boise State cross country teams under head coach Corey Ihmels continued Saturday, with a sixth-place finish from the Bronco women’s team – the highest finish for either team at the NCAA Championship in program history.
“The women did a fantastic job,” head coach Corey Ihmels said. “It wasn’t our best race of the year, but they all ran solid and we finished higher than we were ranked. Our goal is to be a top 10 program, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for this program.”
Boise State finished sixth with 264 points, led by Allie Ostrander’s fourth-place finish. Ostrander went with the leaders from the start of the racing, hanging in the lead pack of Ednah Kurgat of New Mexico and Charlotte Taylor of San Francisco.
Entering the final 2-kilometers of the 6-kilometer race, Ostrander was a step behind Kurgat and Taylor, battling 20-mph winds. Ostrander hung with the leaders, but was unable to get ahead – battling to a fourth-place finish, good for the fourth All-American honors of her career. Ostrander finished in a time of 19:31.2.
Ostrander was also honored with the NCAA Elite 90 Award – given to the athlete with the highest GPA at all 90 NCAA Championship sites.