Not running on empty: DeBruyn paces NMU cross country teammates at Wildcat Open
DeBruyn paces NMU cross country teammates at Wildcat Open
Northern Michigan University’s Maija Maki-Warne, a Marquette Senior High School graduate, runs in the NMU Wildcat Open cross country meet held near the Superior Dome and along Lake Superior in Marquette on Friday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Led by Ashley Choponis, center left wearing bib No. 5818, and Celia Wallace, center right with 5821, lead a more than 20-strong group of Northern Michigan University women’s cross country runners at the start of the NMU Wildcat Open near the Superior Dome in Marquette on Friday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Northern Michigan University’s Lola Korpi, an Ishpeming High School graduate, runs to a fourth-place finish in the NMU Wildcat Open cross country meet held near the Superior Dome and along Lake Superior in Marquette on Friday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Northern Michigan University’s Maija Maki-Warne, a Marquette Senior High School graduate, runs in the NMU Wildcat Open cross country meet held near the Superior Dome and along Lake Superior in Marquette on Friday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Led by Ashley Choponis, center left wearing bib No. 5818, and Celia Wallace, center right with 5821, lead a more than 20-strong group of Northern Michigan University women’s cross country runners at the start of the NMU Wildcat Open near the Superior Dome in Marquette on Friday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Northern Michigan University’s Lola Korpi, an Ishpeming High School graduate, runs to a fourth-place finish in the NMU Wildcat Open cross country meet held near the Superior Dome and along Lake Superior in Marquette on Friday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Trending
MARQUETTE -- Northern Michigan University junior Ella DeBruyn ran past 21 of her teammates to win the NMU Wildcat Open in college women's cross country on Friday morning.
Set on a relatively flat course near the Superior Dome and along Lake Superior, DeBruyn finished the five-kilometer (3.1-mile) course in 18 minutes, 27.6 seconds.
That was almost a 20-second victory over Wildcats senior Lamar Gordon, who completed the trail in 18:46.0.
DeBruyn's pace was just under six minutes per mile while Gordon's was two seconds over six minutes.
All collegiate runners came from the NMU women's cross country team as a warm-up for their first meet that truly counts, the Phoenix Open hosted by Wisconsin-Green Bay in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Saturday, Sept. 12.
There was an associated high school meet with boys and girls divisions also held that included Marquette, Negaunee, Westwood and Gwinn, along with two other Upper Peninsula schools.
For the collegians, it was a chance to race among teammates.
Ashley Choponis, a freshman sensation a year ago, was third among Wildcats in 19:00.2, while past Ishpeming High School star Lola Korpi, now a junior at Northern, was fourth in 19:07.4.
Addison Jones, a freshman, was the fifth and final runner to stay within a minute of DeBruyn's time as Jones clocked 19:25.1.
The remainder of the top 11 were less than 30 seconds apart. Junior Celia Wallace was sixth in 19:27.9, junior Madalyn Agren seventh in 19:28.6, freshman Macy Guikema eighth in 19:35.9, freshman Audrey Hamilton ninth in 19:37.5, senior Dani Van Lente 10th in 19:43.2 and junior Anya VanSweden 11th in 19:50.5.
Leading the next pack was Marquette Senior High School graduate and NMU sophomore Maija Maki-Warne, 12th in 20:09.7.
Also finishing were freshman Sophia Nunnery, freshman Quinn Mangerson, freshman Tania Boonstra, junior Emma Dell, freshman Sarah Stein, freshman Amber Van Loon, junior Samantha Zolnierek, senior Lana Mac and freshman Anne Hamilton.
The Wildcats are coached by Jenny Ryan, who has been head coach of the NMU cross country team since 2007, adding the women's track and field head coaching duties in 2014-15. She also spent 11 seasons as an assistant Nordic skiing coach at Northern.
Story contents based on an examination of the Superior Timing website at www.superiortiming.com and the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.