2016 WIAC Women's Cross Country Championship Preview University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will strive for a second straight title at the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Cross Country Championship (Presented by Culvers’). The 39th edition of the league meet will be hosted by UW-Stevens Point at Wisconsin River Golf Club on Oct. 29. The Titans claimed their conference-leading 16th championship in program history a season ago with 47 points to nip UW-La Crosse’s second-place total of 51 points. UW-Eau Claire took third with 72 points, UW-Stout fourth with 91, UW-Platteville fifth with 99, UW-Stevens Point sixth with 187, UW-Whitewater seventh with 187 and UW-River Falls eighth with 230. A pair of teams are ranked among the finest in the NCAA Division III based on Oct. 19 rankings distributed by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. UW-La Crosse is ranked seventh, while UW-Eau Claire is 33rd. Returning runners that have secured All-WIAC honors at previous conference championships include: UW-Eau Claire senior Melody Becker (20th-2014); UW-La Crosse seniors Elizabeth Frick (6th-2014, 10th-2015) and Ellen Smith (19th-2012, 10th-2014), juniors Mackenzie Keller-Miller (19th-2015), Kaitlyn McDaniel (6th-2015) and Rebecca Voss (5th-2015), and sophomores Hannah Beilke (16th-2015) and Andrea Brekken (18th-2015); UW-Oshkosh senior Leah Rendflesh (15th-2015), along with juniors Cheyenne Moore (15th-2014) and Erica Munyan (13th-2015); and UW-Platteville sophomore Janelle Ferguson (20th-2015) and senior Chelsey Heiden (8th-2015). Additional conference runners producing strong performances for their teams this fall include: UW-River Falls sophomore Linsey Tolkkinen; UW-Stevens Point junior Kathy Derks; UW-Stout junior Courtney Shaffer; and UW-Whitewater sophomore Liz Mielke. The top seven runners in the 6,000-meter race will receive All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eight through 14 earn All-WIAC second team accolades. Individuals finishing 15 through 20 claim honorable mention laurels. All eight WIAC teams will return to action on Nov. 12, and participate in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne. The regional event will be hosted by UW-Oshkosh. Spalding University (Ky.) will host the NCAA Division III Championship on Nov. 19. # # # # #