Olivia Johnson, a freshman from Milford, Iowa, has been named the Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Cross Country Runner-of-the-Year and headlines the 2007 women's cross country all-conference team. Johnson was the individual medalist at the GPAC Championships last Saturday in Crete, Neb., and won two other meets this season. She crossed the line with a time of 18:07 in the 5k race.
Teammate Charity Miles, a freshmen from Thedford, Neb., joined Johnson on the all-conference team. Miles was the runner-up medalist at the GPAC Championships with a time of 18:10. Miles has four second place finishes this season.
Head Coach Dale Thompson earned GPAC Women's Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year honors after leading his team to a third place finish at the GPAC Championships and the program's first ever national ranking. The Red Raiders were ranked 24th earlier this season and moved back into the rankings this past week (24). Thompson is in his 27th season as coach for both the Red Raider cross country and track and field teams.
The Red Raiders will compete at the NAIA Region III meet this weekend at the Prairie Green Golf Course in Sioux Falls, S.D. The women's race will begin at 11:00 am, followed by the men's race at 11:45 am.
