Forsha Hired as Cross Country/Track Coach

(FULTON, Mo., July 3)--William Woods University has announced the hiring of Brayce Forsha as Head Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track Coach. Forsha replaces Jamie Moreno who resigned in June.

Forsha comes to William Woods from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. He served as a Graduate Assistant Cross Country and Track coach in 2007 and 2008 at the NCAA Division II school. At Lewis, he coached three NCAA Division II All-Americans, one Distance Medley Relay All-American team, and six Great Lakes Valley Conference Champions.    

Prior to coaching at Lewis University, Forsha trained and ran in track meets for Team XO, a post-collegiate track club. He trained under former University of Oregon Head Coach Bill Dellinger and Olympic marathoner Ron Tabb.

In 2001-02, Forsha served as a volunteer track and field coach at the University of Central Missouri. Forsha is a graduate of UCM and was a six-time conference champion, and two-time All-American in the 1500 meter and indoor mile.

“We are very pleased that Coach Forsha has accepted our Cross Country and Track and Field coaching position," said William Woods Director of Athletics Larry York. "His experience as an intercollegiate runner and the wisdom he gained while training under Bill Dellinger at Oregon post-collegiately will allow him to continue the successful programs started by Coach Moreno. He will be a great role model for our student athletes and the rest of our student body.”

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Moreno Resigns as Cross Country/Track Coach

(FULTON, Mo., June 13)--Jamie Moreno has resigned his position as Head Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track Coach at William Woods University.  Coach Moreno spent four seasons as the cross country and track coach at WWU. Moreno has accepted the position of head men's and women's cross country and track coach at NCAA Division II Florida Southern University.

In four seasons at The Woods, the women's cross country team won three American Midwest Conference Championships. The men's cross country team won their first AMC Championship in the fall of 2007. Moreno was named AMC Cross Country Women's Coach of the Year on three occasions, and AMC Men's Coach of the Year once.

A search for his replacement will begin immediately.

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Owls Men's and Women's Track Ends 2008 Season at Emporia State

(FULTON, Mo., May 12)--The William Woods University men's and women's outdoor track team finished the 2008 outdoor season at the Emporia State University Qualifier in Emporia, Kansas, this weekend.

Lucas Breneman finished ninth in the 1500 meter run. Breneman finished the event with a time of 4:23.50.

Brent Almand competed in the 5000 meter run. Almand finished 11th out of 15 runners in the event. He finished with a time of 15:57.39.

Kristi Palmer ran in the 1500 meter run on the women's side. She finished sixth out of eight runners in the event. She finished with a time of 5:05.32.

Janelle Harrison finished 15th out of 18 runners in the 800 meter run. She finished with a time of 2:30.33.

"The meet was a disappointment for most who attended," said William Woods Track Coach Jamie Moreno. "It was supposed to be a meet to run fast at and try and get a qualifying time for nationals. The weather just did not cooperate once again and made it difficult to run fast times in any event. We had a rain delay and when the meet resumed the wind was gusting up to 40 mph. We had a great season and will now rest up and start looking towards cross country in the fall."

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Owls Finish 2nd at AMC Championships

(LEBANON, Ill., Mar. 3)--The William Woods University women’s outdoor track team finished second at the inaugural American Midwest Conference Championships on Saturday.  The Owls finished with a team score of 126.  McKendree University won the event with a team score of 256.

Whitney Gardner finished fourth in the 200 meter dash.  She finished the event with a time of 27.28.  Lanece Clarke (McKendree University) won the event with a time of 24.88.  Gardner also finished fourth in the women’s high jump.

Three Owls competed in the 400 meter dash.  Gardner finished third with a time of 1:01.38.  Kristi Palmer finished fourth behind Gardner with a time of 1:03.71.  Janelle Harrison finished ninth in the event with a time of 1:07.70.

William Woods entered four athletes in the 800 meter run.  Palmer won the event with her best time of the year with a 2:26.94.  Harrison finished third with a time of 2:32:28.  LeeAnn beard finished sixth in the 800 meter with a time of 2:43.86.  Christine Scott rounded out the event for the Owls finishing eighth with a time of 3:01.48.

The Owls placed two runners in the top two spots in the 1500 meter run.  Palmer won the event with a time of 5:06.88.  Harrison finished a few seconds behind Palmer with a time of 5:11.39.  Beard and Scott finished fourth and seventh respectively.  Beard finished with a time of 5:17.46.  Scott completed the event in 6:16.49.

Beard won the 3000 meter steeplechase for William Woods.  She won the event with a time of 12:48.49.

Two Owls competed in the 5000 meter run.  Bollinger finished second with a time of 19:30.12.  Rachelle Locke finished fourth with a time of 20:52.93.

Bollinger and Leah Hempelmann competed in the 10,000 meter run for William Woods.  Bollinger finished second with a time of 40:42.60. Her time broke the school record in the event. Hempelmann finished fourth with a time of 46:23.98.

Newcomer Emily Edins finished fifth in the 100 meter hurdles for the Owls.  She completed the event in 18.05.  Edins also competed in the 400 meter hurdles.  She finished fifth with a time of 1:16.91.  Emily finished second in the javelin throw.  Her longest throw was 80-06, and the second furthest throw in school history.  Scott finished in seventh place in the javelin.  She finished the event with a throw of 47-09.

Gardner and Lindsey Giampietri finished seventh and eighth in the women’s long jump.  This was the first time the Owls had competed in the long jump. Gardner had a top-jump of 14-07.75.  Giampietri had a top-jump of 14-05.00.

Amber Chambers and Giampietri finished second and third in the triple jump for WWU.  This was the first time the Owls had competed in the triple jump. Chambers landed a top-jump of 24-04.50 and established a new school record in the process.  Giampietri finished behind Chambers with a top-jump of 29-05.00.

The Owls will return to the track on May 10th at the Emporia State University Qualifier.  This will be the last opportunity to qualify for the NAIA Outdoor Nationals.

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Owls Compete in Kip Janvrin Open

(INDIANOLA, Iowa, April 25th)--The William Woods University women's outdoor track team competed in the Kip Janvrin Open on Friday. The Kip Janvrin Open featured 52 teams who have created 1,805 entries.  Both are records for the event which traces it roots back to the mid 1980's.

NCAA Division I teams scheduled to compete include Air Force, Bowling Green, Drake, Iowa State, Minnesota, Missouri State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Iowa, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Utah, Wisconsin, and UW-Milwaukee.  11 NCAA Division II teams are entered with 14 from NCAA Division III scheduled to run.  Rounding out the field are 14 NAIA teams, two junior colleges, and one Canadian team, the University of Manitoba.

Whitney Gardner competed in three events for the Owls. Gardner finished 16th our of 36 runners in the 200 meter run. Gardner finished with a time of 27.73. That time established a new school record in the event. She also competed in the 400 meter run. Gardner finished 25th out of 28 competitors with a time of 66.09. Finally, Whitney Gardner competed in the long jump. She finished 23rd out of 29 athletes with a distance of 4.61 meters.

Janelle Harrison and Kristi Palmer competed in two events for William Woods. Harrison finished 27th out of 45 runners in the 800 meter run. She finished with a time of 2:32.41. Palmer finish in 28th with a time of 2:33.10. Palmer and Harrison also competed in the 1500 meter run. Palmer finished 26th out of 63 runners. She finished with a time of 5:07.04. Harrison finished 39th with a time of 5:15.28.

Jessica Bollinger was the lone runner for the Owls in the 5000 meter run. She finished 10th out of 28 entries. She finished with a time of 18:52.94.

The Owls will return to the track on May 2nd and 3rd at the AMC Outdoor Championships in Lebanon, Missouri.

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Owls Run at Mule Relays

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., April 18)--The William Woods University women’s outdoor track team competed in the University of Central Missouri Mule Relays on Friday in Warrensburg, Missouri.

Kristi Palmer owned the field in the women's 1500 meter run. Palmer won the event with a time of 4:56.82. That time was a personal best for Palmer, and the second fastest outdoor time in William Woods history. Emily Young from Central Missouri finished second with a time of 5:03.18. LeeAnn Beard finished sixth our of ten runners for the Owls. Beard finished with a time of 5:15.06.

Whitney Gardner competed in the 400 meter dash for William Woods. Gardner finished sixth out of 10 runners. She finished with a time of 1:01.87.

Janelle Harrison and Christine Scott competed in the 800 meter run for William Woods. Harrison finished fourth and Scott finished eighth in the field on nine. Harrison finished with a time of 2:30.59. Scott finished with a time of 3:02.

Jessica Bollinger competed in the 3000 meter run and finished third in a field of seven. She completed the event with a time of 10:46.37. Her time was a personal best, and a new William Woods outdoor record.

Emily Edins competed in the 100 meter hurdles. She finished 10th out of 11 runners and finished with a time of 18.49. Her time establishes a new William Woods outdoor record.

The Owls finished the day with a fifth place finish in the 4x400 meter relay. The Owls team consisting of Palmer, Gardner, Harrison and Beard, finished with a time of 4:21.53.

William Woods will return to the track on Friday, April 25th at the Kip Jarvin Invitational.

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Whitney Johnson Signs With William Woods

(FULTON, Mo., April 14)-- Head Women's Cross Country/Track Coach Jamie Moreno has announced the signing of Whitney Johnson to a William Woods University letter of intent to run for the Owls in 2008-09. Johnson comes to William Woods from Wright City High School in Wright City, Missouri.

Johnson competes in softball, basketball and outdoor track at Wright City High School. She was a member of the 2006 conference championship track team. Johnson was All-District in the 4x100 meter relay, the 4x200 meter relay, the 100 meter hurdles and the long jump in 2007. She was also a member of the All-Conference 4x800 meter relay team in 2006. "She loves the hurdles and works very hard to improve all aspects of hurdling," said Wright City Cross Country Coach Sue Wright. "Whitney is a great kid who dedicates herself to every sport she plays."

"I think Whitney will be a great addition for our track program next year," said Coach Jamie Moreno. "She has done very well in the hurdle events for Wright City and I feel she will only get better as we work on getting her stronger over the next four years. She is enthusiastic and has a great work ethic."

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Owls Run at CMU Invitational

(FAYETTE, Mo., April 7)--The William Woods University women’s outdoor track team competed in the Central Methodist University Invitational this past weekend in Fayette, Missouri.

Whitney Gardner competed in two events for the Owls. Gardner finished second out of six runner in the 400 meter dash. She ran a personal best 1:00.71, and finished behind Linze Leimkueher of Missouri Valley College. Leimkueher edged out Gardner by finishing with a time of 1:00.33.

Gardner also competed in the 200 meter dash. She finished fourth out of seven runners with a time of 28.12. Shilpa Hamilton of Central Methodist University won the event with a time of 26.33.

Janelle Harrison, Jessica Bollinger, and LeeAnn Beard competed in the 800 meter run and the 1500 meter run for William Woods.

Harrison finished third in the 800 meter run. She finished with a time of 2:33.42. Bollinger finished on her heals with a time of 2:34.19 to take fourth place. Beard finished fifth in the field of 12 runners with a time of 2:35.79.

The three Owls finished second, third, and fourth in the 1500 meter run. Harrison finished second with a time of 5:09.44. Beard finished third with a time of 5:10.56. Bollinger finished fourth in the field of seven runners with a time of 5:14.55.

Kristi Palmer competed in her first 3000 meter steeplechase event at the CMU Invitational. Palmer finished second with a time of 13:05.52. Kristi Williams of Central Methodist University won the event with a time of 12:11.40.

The Owls will return to the track on April 18th and 19th at the University of Central Missouri Relays.

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Owls Compete at Missouri Relays

(COLUMBIA, Mo., March 31)--The William Woods University women’s outdoor track team competed in the Missouri Relays this past weekend in Columbia, Missouri.

Jessica Bollinger set a new outdoor school record in the 5000 meter run. Bollinger finished 20th out of 45 runners. She completed the race with a time of 18:36.24. Leah Hempelmann set the 5000 meter run record in 2006 with a time of 18:51.29.

LeeAnn Beard competed in two events for the Owls. Beard finished 26th out of 38 runners in the 3000 meter run. Beard finished with a time of 11:19.90. Beard also competed in the 800 meter run. She finished 8th out of 13 runners with a time of 2:36.64.

Janelle Harrison competed in the 800 meter run and finished 7th out of 13 runners. She finished the race with a time of 2:36.51.

Kristi Palmer finished third in the 1500 meter run. Palmer beat 23 runners and completed the race with a time of 5:02.91.

Whitney Gardner competed in two events for the Owls. Gardner finished 35th out of 50 runners in the 200 meter dash. Gardner ran a time of 27.38. Gardner also competed in the 400 meter dash. Gardner finished with a time of 63.37, and finished 17th out of 31 runners.

Harrison, Palmer, Gardner, and Bollinger teamed up to compete in the 4x800 meter relay. The team finished 5th with a time of 10:36.20.

The Owls will return to the track on April 5th at the Central Methodist Invitational in Fayette, Missouri.

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Owls Begin Outdoor Season at Emporia State

(EMPORIA, Kan., Mar. 12)--The William Woods University women’s outdoor track team opened their outdoor season at the Emporia State University Spring Twilight on Wednesday.

Whitney Gardner established a new William Woods outdoor record in the 100 meter dash.  Gardner finished 9th in the event with a time of 13.67.  Gardner also competed in the 800 meter run.  She finished 4th with a time of 2:32.80.  Her 800 meter run time was the fourth fastest in William Woods history.

Jessica Bollinger competed in two events for the Owls.  She finished 7th in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:34.40.  Bollinger finished 5th in the 1500 meter run with a time of 5:07.82.  Her 800 meter time was the fourth fastest in William Woods history.  Her 1500 meter run time was .62 seconds from breaking the William Woods record.  Leah Hempelmann (2005) holds the WWU record in the 1500 meter run with a time of 5:07.20.

Janelle Harrison competed in two events for the Owls.  She finished 6th in the 1500 meter run with a time of 5:17.88.  Harrison finished 6th in the 800 meter with a time of 2:34.30. Her 800 meter run time was the fifth fastest time in William Woods history.

Lee Ann Beard competed in the 800 meter run and 1500 meter run.  She finished 8th in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:39.70  Beard finished 7th in the 1500 meter run with a time of 5:19.00.

The William Woods track team will return to action on March 29th and 30th, at the Missouri Relays in Columbia, Missouri.

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Owls End Season at Indoor Championships

(FULTON, Mo., Mar. 10th)--Three members of the William Woods University indoor track team competed in the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Johnson City, Tennessee, over the weekend. Kristi Palmer, Daniel Gale, and Lucas Breneman concluded a very successful indoor season for the Owls.

Freshman Kristi Palmer (Saint Genevieve, Mo.), who also qualified for the NAIA Cross Country National Championships, qualified in the 3000 meter run by finishing with a time of 10:37.55 at the Prairie Wolfe Invitation on February 22nd. Palmer ran in the first heat of the 3000 meter run on Friday afternoon, and finished 11th with a time of 11:21.58.  She did not qualify for the finals.

Palmer put together an impressive freshman year. Palmer established new William Woods indoor records in the 800 meter run, 1000 meter run, Mile run, and 3000 meter run. Palmer was also a member of the Distance Medley Relay that established a school record at the Illinois Wesleyan Meet on February 2nd.

Senior Lucas Breneman (Mexico, Mo.) qualified in the 3000 meter run by finishing with a time of 8:52.87 at the Illinois Wesleyan Meet on February 2nd. Breneman ran in the first heat of the 3000 meter run on Friday afternoon, and finished 11th with a time of 9:09.00.  While Breneman did not qualify for the finals, his time was the third fastest 3000 meter indoor time in William Woods history.

Breneman finishes his indoor career as a school record holder in the 800 meter run, 1000 meter run, and Mile run. He was also a member of two William Woods record setting relay teams (1600 Meter Relay and the Distance Medley Relay).

Senior Daniel Gale (Jefferson City, Mo.) qualified in the 5000 meter run by finishing with a time of 15:24.31 at the Prairie Wolfe Invitational on February 22nd. Gale ran in the third heat of the 5000 meter run on Friday evening, and finished 11th with a time of 16:22.18.  While Gale did not qualify for the finals, his time was the fifth fastest 5000 meter indoor time in William Woods history.

Gale finishes his WWU indoor career third all-time in the Mile run, and second in the 3000 meter run. He was also a member of a William Woods record setting relay team (Distance Medley Relay).

The Owls will begin their outdoor track season on March 12th, at the Emporia State University Spring Twilight Meet.

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Owls Finish Indoor Regular Season

(LINCOLN, Neb., Feb. 23)--The William Woods University women's indoor track team completed their 2008 indoor regular season at the Prairie Wolf Classic in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Kristi Palmer finished 10th out of 17 runners in the 1000 meter. She finished the race with a time of 3:11.39. That was good enough to break the William Woods record of 3:19.91 held by Savannah Ragland. Palmer also competed in the 3000 meter run. She ran with a time of 10:37.55 and qualified for the NAIA Indoor National Championships. She finished 5th out of 20 runners and broke the William Woods record held by Leah Hempelmann.  Hempelmann set the record in 2006 with a time of 10:47.56.

Rachelle Locke also competed in the 3000 meter run. Locke ran an 11:28.91 and finished 19th. This was her fastest time of the season.

Jessica Bollinger finished 7th out of 22 runners in the 5000 meter run. Her time of 18:54.79 was three seconds off qualifying for the NAIA Indoor National Championships, but did break the William Woods school record in the event. Hempelmann set the school record in 2005 with a time of 19:15.97.

Janelle Harrison competed in the 400 meter dash and the 800 meter run. She ran the 400 meter dash in 66.06 and finished 32nd out of 34 runners. Harrison ran the 800 meter run in 2:29.46 which was good for 28th out of 41 runners.

Whitney Gardner competed in the 60 meter dash and the 600 meter run. Her time of 8.59 in the 60 meter was .04 seconds off of her personal best in the event. She finished 30th out of 33 runners. Gardner ran a 1:45.19 600 meter. That time establishes a new William Woods record. She finished 9th out of 11 runners.

Kristi Palmer will compete in the NAIA Indoor National Championships. They will be held March 6th through 8th in Johnson City, Tennessee.

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Records Fall at Missouri Southern Meet

(Rolla, Mo., Feb. 16)--The William Woods University women’s indoor track team continued their record-setting ways at the Missouri Southern University meet.

Kristi Palmer finished 5th out of eight runners in the Invitational Mile Run.  She finished with a time of 5:23.92.  Her time broke the William Woods record of 5:26.41 held by Leah Hempelmann.

Whitney Gardner competed in two events for the Owls.  She finished 29th out of 40 runners in the 60 Meter Dash.  She finished with a time of 8.55, which was .72 seconds behind the winner (Chelsea Luck from the University of Central Missouri).  Gardner also ran a 1:34.79 in the 600 Yard Run.  She finished 13th out of 26 competitors, and broke the school record of 1:38.54.  That record was set in the previous heat by Janelle Harrison.  Harrison finished 18th in the 600 Yard Run.

Lee Ann Beard finished 14th out of 20 runners in the One Mile Run.  She finished with a time of 5:52.83.

The team will return to action this weekend.  Some will compete in the Prairie Wolf Classic in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Other members of the team will compete in the Central Missouri Classic at the University of Central Missouri.

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William Woods Competes at UCM Mule Relays (Feb 7)

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., Feb. 7)--The William Woods University women's indoor track team competed in the University of Central Missouri Mule Relays on Thursday in Warrensburg, Missouri.

Whitney Gardner competed in two events for the Owls. She finished 24th our of 28 runners in the 200 Meter with a time of 28.78. That time establishes a William Woods University indoor record. Gardner also competed in 400 Meter and finished 21st out of 26 runners with a time of 65.56.

Janelle Harrison broke the WWU indoor record in the 600 Meter run. Harrison finished 17th out of 24 runners with a time of 1:40.63. Harrison broke the old mark of 1:44.60 established by Ashley Smith in 2006.

Jessica Bollinger competed in the 5000 Meter and finished 5th out of 12 runners. Bollinger ran a 19:58.08.

Kristi Palmer rounded out the day with a second place finish in the 3000 Meter run. She finished with a time of 10:52.79. Palmer finished behind William Woods assistant coach Brook Creed. Creed ran the event unattached.

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Owls Sign Two Runners For 2008-09 Season (Feb. 7)

(FULTON, Mo., Feb. 7)--Head Women's Cross Country/Track Coach Jamie Moreno has announced the signing of Latrice Fletcher and Mandy Griffin to a William Woods University letter of intent to run for the Owls in 2008-09. Fletcher and Griffin come to William Woods from Fort Osage High School in Independence, Missouri.

Fletcher was a member of the cross country and track team at Fort Osage. She was an All-Area selection, a member of the 2007 cross country and track conference championship team, and a three-time state qualifier. Latrice collected four varsity letters in cross country, and four varsity letters in track. Fletcher was a member of the 4x800 relay team that broke the Fort Osage school record, and qualified for the Missouri State Track Meet in 2006.

"I am very excited about Latrice joining our cross country family next fall," said William Woods Coach Jamie Moreno. "Latrice has been a front runner for Fort Osage for the past four years and has made a huge impact for the Indians program."

"Latrice has been the backbone of our cross country program the last four seasons," said Fort Osage Cross Country Coach Chris Earley. "She has consistently finished in the top 3rd of all the races she has competed in. I would not be surprised to see her continue her success on the collegiate level."

Griffey was also a member of the cross country and track team at Fort Osage. She was member of the 2007 cross country and track conference championship team and earned two varsity letters in cross country, and two varsity letters in track.

"I am happy that Mandy has chosen WWUU to study and continue her running," said Coach Moreno. "Mandy was a big part of the success the Fort Osage girls team has achieved over the past four years and her high school coaches had nothing but great things to say about her. I think she will be a great person to have on our team and I expect her to do some great things over the next four years here at WWU."

"Mandy has provided leadership for our cross country team the last two seasons," said Coach Earley. "Mandy competed on a team that won conference for the first time in 19 seasons.  She also was a key runner in helping our team placed 4th in the district meet and continuing on to the sectional meet."

Photo above: Back Row Left to Right - William Woods Coach Jamie Moreno, Fort Osage Head Track Coach Jerrod Snead, fort Osage Head Cross Country Coach Chris Earley, and Fort Osage Assistant Cross Country Coach Henry Grubb.

Seated Left to Right: Mandy Griffin and Latrice Griffin

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Owls Set Records at Titan Meet (Feb. 2)

(NORMAL, Ill., Feb. 2)--The William Woods University women's indoor track team continued their record breaking efforts at the Illinois Wesleyan meet on Saturday, February 2nd.

The women's distance medley team broke a school record to begin the meet. Jessica Palmer, Whitney Gardner, Janelle Harrison and Kristi Palmer finished with a time of 13:24.94. That broke the old record of 13:41 set in 2005. It was also 24 seconds off the "B" standard for qualification to the NAIA National Meet.

Jessica Bollinger competed in the 3000 Meter and finished 6th with a time of 11:00. Rachelle Locke finished 12th with a time of 11:33.86.

Another school record fell in the 800 Meter. Kristi Palmer ran a 2:23.32 and finished 8th out of 33 runners. She broke the old record of 2:24 set in 2005 and just missed qualifying for the NAIA National Meet by just under two seconds.

Janelle Harrison completed the events for the Owls with an 11th place finish in the Mile Run. She finished with a time of 5:54.18. This tied her personal best.

The Owls will return to the track on Thursday, February 7th, at the University of Central Missouri Mule Relays.

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Owls Open Indoor Season at Illinois College (Jan. 26)

(JACKSONVILLE, Ill., Jan. 26)--The William Woods University women's indoor track team opened their 2008 indoor season at the Illinois College Early Bird Open on Saturday.

Freshman Kristi Palmer and won the women's 3000 Meter Run. She finished with a time of 10:50.43. Palmer led from the start and finished with the second fastest time in William Woods history. She just missed qualifying for the National Indoor Championships by three seconds. Teammate Jessica Bollinger finished third in the 15 woman field with a time of 11:00.13.

Junior Lee Ann Beard finished fifth out of 17 in the women's 1 Mile Run. She finished with a time of 6:01.73. Michelle Sutton (Greenville College) won the event with a time of 5:26.54.

Freshman Janelle Harrison competed in the women's 800 Meter Run. Harrison placed fifth out of 11 runners with a time of 2:41.85. Talen Gerber (Greenville College) won the event with a time of 2:29.38.

The Owls will return to the track on February 2nd at the Illinois Wesleyan Meet in Bloomington, Illinois.

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(FULTON, Mo., Dec. 17)-- Head Women's Cross Country Coach Jamie Moreno has announced the signing of Jessica Bollinger to a William Woods University Letter of Intent to run for the Owls in 2008. Bollinger comes to William Woods from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and Ste. Genevieve High School in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. “I am very excited about Jessica and her decision to transfer to William Woods this next semester,” said Coach Jamie Moreno.  “She had a spectacular running career at Ste. Genevieve High School and I am hoping she can have even a better one here at the Woods. She was the individual 2A State cross country champion in 2005 and was a 7-time All-State runner on the track. She was also a member of Ste. Genevieve's state championship cross country teams in 2004 and 2005.  She has the potential to give us another front runner along with her former high school teammate and current Owl Kristi Palmer."

Locke Signs With Owls (Dec. 11)

FULTON, Mo. (Dec. 12) - Head Women's Cross Country Coach Jamie Moreno has announced the signing of Jordan Locke to a William Woods University Letter of Intent to run for the Owls in 2008.  Locke comes to William Woods from Hannibal High School in Hannibal, Missouri.

"I am very excited about Jordan joining the owls cross country and track family," Coach Moreno said.  "Jordan is a well rounded individual and has been involved in so many different activities at Hannibal High School. Her ability to balance so many extra curricular activities with her school work and running will make her transition into college much easier.  I feel she has the talent and potential to run in our top seven her freshman year if she works hard over the summer.  She has had a great high school career and been a state qualifier multiple times in cross country and track.  She brings big meet experience with her and that will her next fall.  I see her doing well in cross country and being better at the 3k-5k distances on the track."

Locke earned three varsity cross country letters at Hannibal High School.  She has also earned four varsity track letters.  Locke was named All-Conference and All-District in the 4x800 her freshman, sophomore, and junior year.  She was also named to the All-District in the 800 and 1600 meter her freshman and sophomore year.

Locke also achieved several individual awards during the cross country season.  She was an All-Conference and All-District selection her sophomore, junior and senior year.  She was also a state qualifier her sophomore, junior and senior year.

"Jordan has been a solid performer in track for us for three years," said Hannibal Track Coach Mark St. Clair.  "She has competed in a variety of races from the 4X400 meter to the 3200 meter. She is a positive role model for others and a wonderful young lady.  She is a fine student/ athlete and will do well at everything she decides to do."

"Jordan is a very coachable athlete that has a lot of potential as a runner," said Hannibal Cross Country Coach Charlie Newland.  "At the collegiate level I believe that she will excel in the 3,000 and 5,000 as well as cross country.  She is a hard worker and is a well rounded person.  Jordan is a very focused person that is going to be able to add a lot to William Woods as a student and as an athlete."

Locke plans on majoring in Exercise Science at William Woods.

Kristi Palmer named WWU Student-Athlete of the Month for November (Dec. 2)

Fulton, Mo.  (Dec. 2) -  Freshmen  cross country runner Kristi Palmer from St. Genevieve, Missouri has been named the WWU Student-Athlete of the Month for November.

Palmer ran a 5k time of 19.08 good enough for and eighth place finish and All-Region honors in leading the Owls to a third place finish in NAIA Region V.  Palmer has been the Owls number one runner for the entire season and qualified for the NAIA National Cross Country Championships in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where she finished with a time of 20.18.

This past week Palmer was recognized as WWU's Women's Cross Country "Most Valuable Runner".

Palmer Competes at NAIA National Championships (Nov. 19)

(KENOSHA, Wis., Nov. 17)--Freshman Kristi Palmer competed in the NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Championships in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Saturday.  Palmer, the American Midwest Conference Freshman of the Year, ran a 5k time of 20:18 to place 215th out of 268 runners.

”For Kristi to qualify for nationals as a freshman, and to be our number one runner in every meet this season, says a lot about her work ethic and talent,” said Head Coach Jamie Moreno.  “I am excited about her next three years, as well as what she might be able to do during the upcoming track season.”

Palmer was named to the All-AMC and All-Region V team this season.

Owls finish 3rd at NAIA Regional (Nov. 5)

The William Woods University women’s cross country team finished third at the NAIA Region V meet in Lamoni, Iowa on Saturday.  The Owls finished five points behind second place Central Methodist University, and sixty-six points behind first place MidAmerica Nazarene University.  There were a total of fourteen teams competing in the NAIA Regional.

The Owls were led by Kristi Palmer.  Palmer finished eighth individually for the Owls.  Palmer also qualified for the NAIA Nationals.  She will compete on Saturday, November 17th, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Other top twenty-five finishers included Janelle Harrison (16th), Leah Hempelmann (18th), and Rachelle Locke (18th).  There were a total of 111 runners competing in the NAIA Regional.

Women Individuals
8          Kristi Palmer                            19:08.25
16        Janelle Harrison                        19:49.38
18        Leah Hempelmann                    19:53.33
22        Rachelle Locke                        20:04.86
32        LeeAnn Beard                          20:24.03
34        Aimee VanderWal                    20:29.34
71        Renee Caldwell                        22:14.09
93        Christine Scott                          24:23.53

Women Team Results
1.         MidAmerica Nazarene             30 points
2.         Central Methodist Univ.            91 points
3.         William Woods                        96 points
4.         Benedictine College                  116 points
5.         Lindenwood Univ.                    160 points

Owls are Champions of the AMC (Oct. 19)

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill., Oct. 19)--The William Woods University women’s cross country team extended their dominance with their third American Midwest Conference Championship in four years on Friday, October 19th.  The Owls defeated second place McKendree University by 25 points.

Meagan Hudson of Missouri Baptist University took home top honors individually.  William Woods placed six runners in the top ten; Kristi Palmer (3rd), Rachelle Locke (4th), Janelle Harrison (6th), Leah Hempelmann (7th), Lee Ann Beard (9th) and Aimee VanderWal (10th).

Palmer, Locke, Harrison, Hempelmann, Beard, and VanderWal earned All-Conference recognition for the Owls.  Palmer was selected the 2007 AMC Freshman of the year for William Woods.  Hempelmann was selected to the AMC All-Academic team for the second consecutive season.  Head Coach Jamie Moreno took home AMC Women’s Coach of the Year honors for the second year in a row.  This is his third Coach of the Year honor in the past four years.

The Owls will return to action on November 3rd at the NAIA Region V Championships.  The race will take place in Lamoni, Iowa.

Owls Sweep Runner of the Week Awards (Oct. 16)

(FULTON, Mo., Oct. 16)--This weeks American Midwest Conference Runners of the Week are Kristi Palmer and Brent Almand from William Woods University.

Kristi Palmer, a freshman from Ste. Genevieve Missouri, placed 33rd out of 210 runners at the NAIA Mid-States Meet in Winfield Kansas. She ran a time of 20:07 on the 5k course and was the Owls top runner for the fourth consecutive meet. This is her second AMC Runner of the Week award.

Brent Almand, a junior from The Woodlands Texas, placed 19th out of 234 runners at the NAIA Mid-States Meet in Winfield Kansas.  He ran a time of 26:55 in the 8k course and was the Owls top runner for the second time this season.  This is his first AMC Runner of the Week Award this season.

Owls Compete at NAIA Mid-States (Oct. 13)

(WINFIELD, Kan., Oct. 13)--The men’s and women’s cross country team traveled to Winfield, Kansas to compete in the Southwestern College/NAIA Mid-States Classic.

The men’s cross country team finished 10th out of 23 teams.  Colorado College won the event with 85 points.  William Woods finished the race with 200 points.  Oklahoma Christian College finished one point ahead of the Owls in 9th place, and Southwestern College finished seven points ahead of the Owls in 8th place.

Brent Almand finished 19th individually for the Owls.  He finished the 8k run with a time of 26:55.58.  Daniel Gale finished 27th with a time of 27:14.79, and Phil Guidry finished 29th with a time of 27:18.57.

The women’s cross country team finished 17th out of 22 teams.  Wayland Baptist College won the event with 63 points.  William Woods finished the race with 396 points.  Friends University finished seven points ahead of the Owls in 16th place.

Kristi Palmer finished 32nd individually for the Owls.  She finished the 5k run with a time of 20:07.80.  Rachelle Locke finished 74th with a time of 20:59.83.

Both teams will return to the course on Friday, October 19th, at the American Midwest Conference Championships.  The event will take place in Edwardsville, Illinois.  The women’s cross country team has won two of the last three AMC Championships.  The men’s cross country team has finished second three consecutive years to Missouri Baptist College.

Owls Ranked #3 in NAIA Region V (Oct. 9)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Oct. 9th) - The William Woods University women's cross country team is ranked third in Region V in the new NAIA Region Top Five.

The women will compete in the NAIA MidStates on October 13th in Winfield, Kansas.

Region V Top Five
1. MidAmerica Nazarene University
2. Central Methodist University
3. William Woods University
4. Baker University
5. Benedictine College

Owls Sweep Runner of the Week Honors (Oct. 3)

(FULTON, Mo., Oct. 3)--The American Midwest Conference Cross Country Runners of the Week for October 1st are Phil Guidry and Leah Hempelmann of William Woods University.

Phil Guidry, a junior from Lafayette Louisiana, ran to a 10th place finish out of 239 runners at the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational in Chicago, Illinois.  Guidry ran 26:35 over the 8k course to lead the Owls to a 3rd place finish out of 25 teams in the Maroon Division. The Owls where defeated by Calvin College (#1 NCAA DIII) and Ferris State University (NCAA DII). This is Guidry’s first AMC Runner of the Week Award.

Leah Hempelmann, a senior from Owensville Missouri, ran to a 45th place finish out of 286 runners at the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational in Chicago, Illinois.  Hempelmann ran 20:11 over the 5k course and was the Owls #2 runner helping the women’s team place 12th out of 21 teams in the Maroon Division.  This is Leah’s first AMC Runner of the Week Award.

Women`s Cross Country Ranked 3rd in Region V (Oct. 1)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Oct. 1st) - The William Woods University women's cross country team is ranked third in Region V in the new NAIA Region Top Five.

The women will compete in the NAIA MidStates on October 13th in Winfield, Kansas.

Region V Top Five

Owls Finish 12th at Loyola Invitational (Sept. 29)

CHICAGO, Ill. - Sept. 29 - The women’s cross country team competed in the Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Chicago, Illinois this weekend.  The team finished 12th overall in the Maroon Division.  There were a total of 21 teams in this division.  Freshman Kristi Palmer placed 19th with a time of 19:26.  The field consisted of 286 runners.  Leah Hempelmann ran her best race of the season, and finished 45th with a time of 20:11.  Other finishers included:

Rachelle Locke            62nd place                   20:35

Aimee VanderWal        157th place                  22:16

Renee Caldwell            221st place                   23:53

Team Results:

1.                  MissouriSouthern University

2.                  FindlayUniversity

3.                  FerrisState University

4.                  Northern Kentucky University

5.                  St.Xavier University

6.                  AugustanaCollege

7.                  CalvinCollege

8.                  AlbionCollege

9.                  St.Mary’s College (Indiana)

10.              St.Ambrose University

11.              KalamazooCollege

12.              WilliamWoods University

The Owls will return to action on October 13th, at the NAIA MidStates in Winfield, Kansas.

Owls Ranked 2nd in Region V (Sept. 24)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Sept. 24th) - The William Woods University women's cross country team is ranked second in Region V in the new NAIA Region Top Five.

The women will compete in the Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Chicago, Illinois this weekend.

Region V Top Five

Woods Cross Country Ranked 2nd in Region V (Sept. 18)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Sept. 18th) - The William Woods University women's cross country team is ranked second in Region V in the new NAIA Region Top Five.

The NAIA Top 25 will be released tomorrow.

Region V Top Five
1.  MidAmerica Nazarene University
2.  William Woods University
3.  Central Methodist University
4.  William Jewell College
5.  Baker University

WWU Finishes 24th at Missouri Southern (Sept. 15)

FULTON, Mo. (Sept. 15) - The William Woods University women’s cross country team finished 24th out of 40 at the University of Southern Missouri Stampede on Saturday, September 22nd.  The field consisted of NCAA Division I, II, and NAIA schools.

Freshman Kristi Palmer (Saint Geneive, Missouri) had another strong performance for the Owls.  She finished 35th individually out of 301 runners.  Among the NAIA schools at the competition, she finished number three individually.  Palmer also recorded the second fasted time in WWU Cross Country history.

The team will return to action on Saturday, September 29th, at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Chicago, Illinois.

Cross Country Ranked #1 in Region V

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Sept. 10th) - The William Woods University women's cross country team is currently ranked first in Region V in the NAIA Region Top Five.

The women competed in the University of Central Missouri Mule Run this past weekend and finished 4th.

Region V Top Five

The NAIA Top 25 will be released tomorrow (September 11th).

Owls Start 2007 Season Strong (Aug. 7)

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Sept. 7th) – The William Woods University men’s and women’s cross country competed very well at the University of Central Missouri Mule Run.  The women’s team finished 4th and the men’s team finished 5th.

The women’s cross country team finished fourth (1:20:39.40) behind NCAA DII southwest Baptist University (1:19:08.08), NCAA DII and #25 University of Central Missouri (1:19:27.00) and NAIA #23 Park University (1:20:06.10).  The Owls defeated fellow NAIA Region V opponents Mid-America Nazarene (defending Region V champion), Baker University, Benedictine College, Graceland University, Missouri Valley College and William Jewell.  Woods Freshman Kristi Palmer (Saint Genevieve, Missouri) finished 4th overall with a time of 15:31.30.  Senior Katie Joyce (Kenosha, Wisconsin) finished 10th overall with a time of 15:51.20.

The men’s cross country team finished fifth (1:49:35.10) behind NCAA DII Southwest Baptist University (1:46:28.00), NAIA Region V foe Missouri Baptist College (1:46:42.70), NCAA DII and #21 University of Central Missouri (1:47:50.00) and NAIA Region V opponent Mid-America Nazarene (1:47:39.00).  Junior Brant Almand (The Woodlands, Texas) finished 14th overall with a time of 21:29.70.  Senior Lucas Brenneman (Mexico, Missouri) finished 18th overall with a time of 21:37.00.

Both teams will return to action on September 15th at the Missouri Southern Stampede in Joplin, Missouri.