November 11, 2006

Chicago Places Fifth at Regionals, Remains Eligible for National Bid

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Paced by seniors Dilshanie Perera (Princeton, N.J./ Princeton) and Vidthya Abraham (Spartanburg, S.C./ Governor's Math & Science), the University of Chicago women's cross country team finished in fifth place at the 39-team Midwest Regional, hosted by Augustana (Ill.) College at the Credit Island Golf Course.

As a result of their fifth-place performance, the Maroons remain in contention for an at-large berth in the 2006 NCAA Division III Championship meet to be held next Saturday in Wilmington, Ohio.

Washington (Mo.) University (56 points) and North Central College (92) were the top two team finishers, thus earning automatic qualification to the national championship. The University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse (96) , the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (129), and Chicago (145) placed third through fifth to remain eligible for at-large selection.

The NCAA will announce the field for the national championship meet tomorrow (Nov. 12) at 2:00 p.m. Central time.

Perera and Abraham finished 17th and 18th, respectively, with times of 22:12 and 22:13 on the six-kilometer course. Sophomore Rachel Venezia (Canton, Mass./ Canton) covered the course in 22:30 en route to a 29th-place showing. All three runners garnered All-Midwest Region honors.

Complete Results