BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Seniors Mark Kevan and Frank Tarantino were chosen
as the most valuable performers for the Illinois Wesleyan University men’s
cross country team while freshman Becky Wetzel earned the same honor for
the women’s squad.
Kevan (Austin, Colo., Delta HS) was IWU’s top runner in three
of the team’s nine meets and had the squad’s best time of 26 minutes, 12
seconds in his 57th place finish at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional.
He had a first place finish with a time of 21:52 at the North Park Invitational,
run over a four-mile course.
Tarantino (Tuscola HS), who has been named as the team’s “Hardest
Worker” for the past two seasons, led IWU in five of the nine season meets
and placed a team-best 12th at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
meet with a time of 25 minutes, 41 seconds.
Wetzel (Tuscola HS) was IWU’s top finisher in three of the last
four meets of the season, including the CCIW and Division III Midwest Regional.
She finished 38th in the CCIW meet with a season-best time of 18 minutes,
54 seconds and was 97th in the region with a run of 19 minutes, 58 seconds.
Senior Ethan Schrum (Iowa City, Iowa HS) and sophomore Katy McCain
(Bloomington, Normal West HS) were named as the “Hardest Workers” for their
respective squads.
Schrum’s times steadily declined as the season aged and he ran
a season-best 30 minutes, 17 seconds for a 67th place finish at the CCIW
meet.
In her first season of college cross country, McCain had the
team’s best time at the Illinois Division III meet with a run of 20 minutes,
31 seconds, and had her best time of the year of 19 minutes, 16 seconds
which earned her a 49th place finish at the CCIW meet.
Elected as captains for the men’s team next season were Bill
Macaulay (Palatine HS) and Bill Schneider (Orland Park, A.A. Stagg HS),
while Karin McDowell (Ottawa HS) and Amanda Bailey (Carol Stream, Glenbard
North HS) were chosen as the women’s team co-captains.
The IWU men’s team finished fifth in the CCIW meet this fall
while the women’s team placed eighth. Head coach Chris Schumacher awarded
letters to eight men and seven women. They are, with hometowns and high
schools:
SENIORS - Jonathan Brockman (Westmont, Downers Grove South HS), Mark
Kevan (Austin, Colo., Delta HS), Frank Tarantino (Tuscola HS).
JUNIOR - Bill Macaulay (Palatine HS).
SOPHOMORES - Andrew Best (Runnells, Iowa, Southeast Polk HS), Andrew
Medendorp (Urbana, University High), Matt Roberts (Petersburg, Porta HS).
FRESHMAN - Michael Melick (Danvers, Stanford Olympia HS).
JUNIOR - Carolyn Demas (Oak Park, River Forest HS).
SOPHOMORES - Katy McCain (Bloomington, Normal West HS), Casey Twanow
(Spring Valley, St. Bede Academy).
FRESHMEN - Molly Carpenter (Glenview, Glenbrook South HS), Carmen Owens
(Charleston HS), Stephanie Reinhart (Tuscola HS), Becky Wetzel (Tuscola
HS).