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December 1, 2002

2002 WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY REVIEW

Erin Fiene and Jennifer Smith share MVP honors; Vikings win three invitationals

Senior Erin Fiene (York HS, Elmhurst, IL) and junior Jennifer Smith (Davenport North HS, Davenport, IA) were the top two performers for most of the year so it made perfect sense that they share the Most Valuable Performer award for 2002. Smith led the Vikings in the first seven meets of the season while Fiene was the top finisher in the final two.

They were the driving forces behind an Augustana team that once again was able to put up some gaudy numbers for veteran co-head coaches Fred Whiteside and Doug Sand. The Vikings won three meets during the year, the eighth team North Park Invitational on September 21, the seven team Mount St. Clare Invitational on October 5 and the 14 team Loras Invitational on October 19. In addition to that, Augustana was third in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin championship, fourth in the Border States Invitational and fifth in the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational.

Smith won the Mount St. Clare Invitational with a time of 19:24 over 5,000 meters in Clinton, Iowa. She was second in the Augustana Open and placed third in the North Park Invitational and the Loras Invitational. She finished ninth in the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational and was a solid 15^th in the Border States meet. Smith was also eighth in the CCIW championship.

Fiene came on strongly down the stretch, starting with a third place finish in the Mount St. Clare Invitational. She followed that with a 27^th at the Border States meet, a fourth in the Loras Invitational, a seventh in the CCIW and a solid 23^rd in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional meet.

Fiene also shared the Erica Vortman Viking Award for Spirit with senior Julie Cassata (Plainfield HS, Plainfield, IL). Cassata and Fiene also served as co-captains for the 2002 Vikings. Anna Denton (Carl Sandburg HS, Orland Park, IL) was the winner of the Most Improved Runner. Jessica Corvo (Downers Grove North HS, Downers Grove, IL) and Ashley Knudson (Joliet West HS, Joliet, IL) were the co-winners of the Most Valuable Freshman honor. Smith was selected as the lone captain for 2003.

In the very first meet of the year the Vikings showed Whiteside and Sand a glimpse of what was to come as eight runners clad in the Blue & Gold finished in the top 10 of the unscored Augustana Open on September 6 at Credit Island in Davenport, Iowa. The next week saw the always-tough All-American Invitational and Augustana was a solid sixth with 149 points, thanks to a ninth place finish from Smith.

Following the All-American Invitational the Vikings won the North Park Invitational on September 21 with a mere 20 points, placing six runners in the top 10. Smith once again led the way with a third place individual finish but Fiene was right behind her in fourth. At the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational on September 27 at Credit Island, Smith placed ninth to lead her team to a fifth place finish.

At the Mount St. Clare Invitational on October 5 the Vikings picked up their second team title of the year as Smith was the individual winner. Augustana scored just 22 points and had seven in the top 10. Stiffer competition was the theme for the next week at the Border States Invitational. The Vikings were the first NCAA Division III team, placing fourth overall, in the 18 team field with 138 points. Smith ran a tremendous race against tough competition to finish 15^th. In a tune-up for the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin meet, Augustana earned its third team championship of the year with a convincing victory at the Loras Invitational on October 19. The Vikings scored 39 points to best host Loras’ total of 59 in the 13-team field. Smith finished third but once again Fiene was right there with a fourth place finish.

Elmhurst won the CCIW title on November 2 in Naperville with 31 points while Wheaton was second with 54 and Augustana took third with 81. Fiene was seventh and Smith was eighth, the lone Vikings in the top 10, to lead the team. The season came to an end on November 16 with a ninth place in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional as Fiene led the way with a 23^rd place finish.

2002 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Women’s Cross Country Championship

November 2, 2002 * Naperville, Illinois * DuPage River Park

Team Scores

Individual Results

2002 AUGUSTANA SUPERLATIVES

Most Valuable Runner – Jennifer Smith & Erin Fiene

Most Valuable Freshman – Jessica Corvo & Ashley Knudson

Most Improved Runner – Anna Denton

Erica Vortman Viking Award – Julie Cassata & Erin Fiene

Captains for 2002 – Julie Cassata & Erin Fiene

Captain-Elect for 2003 – Jennifer Smith

Team Champions – North Park Invitational 1^st of 8 teams on 09/21

Team Champions – Mount St. Clare Invitational 1^st of 7 teams on 10/05

Team Champions – Loras Invitational 1^st of 14 teams on 10/19

Individual Champion – Jennifer Smith at Mount St. Clare Invitational on 10/05

Top Ten Individual Finishes

09/06 Augustana Open – 2^nd – Jennifer Smith; 3^rd – Erin Fiene; 5^th – Laurie Morgenthal; 6^th – Melanie Round; 7^th – Amie Billstrom; 8^th – Megan Wadington; 9^th – Erin Marciniec

09/14 Luther All-American Invitational – 9^th – Jennifer Smith

09/21 North Park Invitational – 3^rd Jennifer Smith; 4^th – Erin Fiene; 5^th – Annie Livengood; 7^th – Melanie Round; 8^th – Ashley Knudson; 9^th – Megan Wadington

09/27 Brissman Lundeen Invitational – 9^th – Jennifer Smith

10/05 – Mount St. Clare Invitational – 1^st – Jennifer Smith; 3^rd Erin Fiene; 4^th – Laurie Morgenthal; 6^th – Ashley Knudson; 8^th – Melanie Round; 9^th – Megan Carlson; 10^th – Julie Cassata

10/19 – Loras Invitational – 3^rd – Jennifer Smith; 4^th – Erin Fiene; 7^th – Annie Livengood

11/02 – CCIW Championship – 7^th – Erin Fiene; 8^th – Jennifer Smith