The Concordia University, Nebraska women's cross country team claimed the team title at the 2007 NAIA Region III Cross Country Championships while the men finished as runner-up. The meet was held in Sioux Falls, S.D., at Prairie Green Golf Course. With the team title the women earn their 14th consecutive trip to the NAIA National Championship meet. The Concordia women have placed in the top 20 at the NAIA meet for 13 consecutive years dating back to 1994. During the run the Bulldogs were runner-up four times, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004.
The Bulldogs placed six runners in the top 20 en route to the team title with 62 points, outdistancing second place team Northwestern (88 points). For the second straight week the Red Raiders went 1-2 individually. The team championship for the Bulldogs snaps a streak of two straight years of finishing as runner-up at the regional meet.
Concordia runners Kayla Engel, Alicia Marteney and Katie Swanson placed 9-10-11 respectively, finishing within five seconds of each other. Engel covered the 5k course in 18:43.13 while Marteney was right on her heels crossing the tape at 18:45.68. Swanson rounded out the trio with a time of 18:45.68.
Other Bulldogs finishing in the top 20 for the women included Jacque Wiseman (15th-19:08.77), Taylor Felix (17th-19:13.78) and Katie Lutmer (19th-19:22.20). Rachel Mol just missed the top 25, taking 26th place (19:36.13).
On the men's side the Bulldogs finished as runner-up with 74 points, trailing Black Hills State who took the title with 36 points.
A pair of sophomores, Zach Meineke and David Goeglein, were the first to cross the finish line for Concordia in eighth and 13th places respectively. Meineke covered the 8k course in 25:48.92, while Goeglein crossing the tape in 26:04.76. Not far behind was Bryan Felker (14th-26:09.38).
Other Bulldogs finishing in the top 25 for the men included Tyson Billings (19th- 26:18.37), Jordan Tucker (20th- 26:20.01) and Zach Baedke (22nd-26:22.15).
Concordia will wait to see if the men's team will be selected to compete at the 52nd Annual Men's NAIA Cross Country National Championships on Saturday, November 17. The meet will be held at the Dr. Wayne E. Dannehl Cross Country Course in Kenosha, Wis.
The top teams in all of the NAIA Region's qualify automatically for the national meet, along with at-large teams according to the NAIA rankings.