Athletics :: Women's Cross Country

2009 Schedule

2009 Women's Cross Country Schedule
Head Coach: Mike Wojciakowski (12th year)
Student Assistant Coach: Chris Leikert (1st year)

Coordinator: Dave Wood (14th year)

DAY, DATE	EVENT/SITE	TIME
Sat., Sept. 19	Calvin College Invitational/ Calvin College	5th out of 14
Sat., Oct. 3	Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational/Chicgao, Ill.	11th out of 34
Fri., Oct. 9	Michigan Intercollegiates/Calvin College	7th out of 21
Sat., Oct. 24	NAIA Great Lakes Invitational/Riverside Park	4th out of 21
Sat., Nov. 7	WHAC Championship/Riverside Park	1st out of 6
Sat., Nov. 21	NAIA National Championships/Vancouver, Wash.	TBA

Aquinas College Women's Cross Coujntry Team

2009 Roster

printable roster

Photos	Name	Yr	Hometown/High School (College)
	Lesley Albert	FR	Belding, Mich./Belding
	Ruth Blaxton	JR	Shepherd, Mich./Shepherd
	Caitlyn Bonney	SO	Port Huron, Mich./Port Huron
	Chelsey Bonney	SO	Port Huron, Mich./Port Huron
	Alicia Boynton	JR	Muskegon, Mich./Reeths Puffer
	Megan Byrne	SO	Amherst, Ohio/Amherst Steele
	Katy Cramer	JR	Cedar Springs, Mich./Cedar Springs
	Emma Dalrymple	JR	Grand Rapids, Mich.Catholic Central
	Alina Dhaseleer	FR	Charlevoix, Mich./Charlevoix
	Rachel Fechik	SR	Lawton, Mich./Mattawan
	Amanda Graves	SO	White Cloud, Mich./White Cloud
	Rachel Luehm	SO	St. Louis, Mich./St. Louis
	Kaitlyn Meernik	SR	Redford, Mich./Marian
	Carly Plank	FR	Grand Rapids, Mich./Northview
	Emily Popma	SR	Lansing, Mich./Waverly
	Rachel Reyna	FR	Swartz Creek, Mich./Swartz Creek
	Samantha Rinkus	JR	Brighton, Mich./Hartland
	Emily Sandula	SO	Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic
	Audrey Shireman	SO	Lansing, Mich./Waverly
	Kelsey Webb	SR	Allen Park, Mich./Woodhaven

Coaches:

MIKE WOJCIAKOWSKI
Women's Head Coach

A 1997 Aquinas College graduate, Mike Wojciakowski begins his 12th year as the Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach at Aquinas College. “Woj’s” success with the middle distance and distance runners has been exceptional. He has directed the men’s and women’s Cross Country teams to nine WHAC Championships, six Region VIII championships and eleven top 20 finishes at the NAIA National Championships, including a second place finish in 2004 (the highest national finish for any team in Aquinas College history) and a third place finish in 2008.

A nine time WHAC coach of the year, Woj’s success on the track has been just as spectacular. The Saints have dominated the middle distance and distance events in the WHAC for the past ten years under Woj’s direction. He has sent numerous athletes to the indoor and outdoor national championships, 26 of them receiving All American recognition and has guided many runners to the Saints top five all time performance list.

A USA Track and Field Level II certified coach in the distance events, Woj’s knowledge, personal approach and work ethic has been responsible for developing the Saints distance program into one of the best small college programs in the nation.

A four year varsity letter winner in both cross country and track for the Saints, Wojciakowski captained both teams during his senior year. An outstanding student as well as a runner, Wojciakowski earned Academic All American honors in cross country his senior year.

Mike and his wife, Amorena, reside in the northwest side of Grand Rapids.

DAVE WOOD
Cross Country Coordinator
Dave Wood begins his 14th season as the Coordinator of the Cross Country Team and Head Track & Field Coach. Wood's tenure has been nothing short of phenomenal. Wood has directed the men's and women's programs from the basement in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) to the head of the pack. The Saints' dominated in 2003 as they completed a clean sweep of the men's and women's WHAC indoor titles and captured the WHAC women's outdoor title. Success under Wood's direction hasn't been limited to the conference level. Competing at the NAIA National Championships both indoors and outdoors, Saints' athletes earned All-American honors 81 times including four NAIA National Champions and four runner-up finishes during Wood's tenure. The Saints' success under Wood comes as no surprise. The 1972 Michigan Class A mile champion and a middle distance standout at Central Michigan University, Wood has been developing team and individual champions at the high school, junior college and collegiate level since his first coaching assignment at Grand Rapids Union High School, his alma mater, in 1976. A USATF Level II certified coach in the sprints and hurdles, Wood came to Aquinas after an outstanding twelve-year stint as Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach at Ferris State University. Wood was honored with a total of 10 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) "Coach of the Year" awards while guiding the Bulldogs to 11 GLIAC Championships in cross country and track & field. In addition to having his teams consistently ranked in the NCAA Division II top 20, Wood was recognized four times as NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region "Coach of the Year." His succes at the national level was highlighted by 35 All-Americans, three National Champions and a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships during his tenure as Ferris State's coach.

Season Preview :

The Aquinas College women's cross country team will look to build on their successes from this past track season to help guide them toward a WHAC championship and a berth at the NAIA Cross Country Nationals. After a disappointing end to the 2008 cross country season, the Saints seem optimistic and excited about the upcoming season as they return many talented runners who have gained a great deal of experience and work very hard.

Returning for the Saints are Katy Cramer (Jr./Cedar Springs) and Alicia Boynton (Jr./Muskegon Reethes Puffer), both of whom represented Aquinas as individuals at last year's cross country championships. Providing additional support will be Emily Popma (Sr./Lansing Waverly), Samantha Rinkus (Jr./Hartland) and Caitlyn Bonney (So./Port Huron). All three of these Saints are coming off very impressive track seasons and will be looked upon to carry that over to the grass and hills of cross country. Seniors Kaitlyn Meernik (Marian) Rachel Fechik (Mattawan) and Kelsey Webb (Woodhaven) will also add value experience and depth to this team.

Coach Wojciakowski explains, "This women's team is going to be very good this year. We gained so much confidence during the track season that I'd be very surprised if it did not carry over to this cross season. We have so many girls that can contribute, it will be exciting to see who comes out and gets the job done."

The Saints will stay relatively close to home this season as four of their six meets are in the Grand Rapids area. Aquinas will start their season at the Knight Invitational hosted by Calvin College on September 19th.

Top 10 teams times:

1. 94:14, Bush Park, Salem, OR , 9/29/07 Amanda Strouse 17:56; Kelsey Webb 18:47; Katy Cramer 19:05; Jesse Lord-Wilder 19:10; Samantha Rinkus 19:16

2. 95:16, Grand Woods Park, 10/7/00 Val Kunde 18:39; Nichole Gummere 18:55; Christine Gow 19:12; Audrey Remsberg 19:12; Kristy Debski 19:18
3. 95:16, Calvin College, 9/15/07 Amanda Strouse 18:04; Jesse Lord-Wilder 19:07; Katy Cramer 19:11; Kelsey Webb 19:21; Kaitlyn Meernik 19:33

4. 95:34, Riverside Park, 11/3/07 Amanda Strouse 17:56; Jesse Lord-Wilder 18:55; Katy Cramer 19:24; Jessica Karl 19:40; Samantha Rinkus 19:52

5. 95:45, Calvin College, 9/19/09 Carly Plank 18:23; Katy Cramer; 18:53; Samantha Rinkus, 19:27; Alina Dhaeleer 19:29; Emily Popma 19:33

6. 95:57, Pineview Golf Course, 10/9/98 Melissa Pline 18:39; Audrey Remsberg 18:57; Beth Boruta 19:22; Sarah Carter 19:28; Jenny Flanders 19:29
6. 96:05, UW Parkside NAIA Nationals, 11/17/07 Amanda Strouse 18:15; Katy Cramer 19:07; Jesse Lord Wilder 19:22; Jessica Karl 19:36; Samantha Rinkus 19:45

8. 96:07, Indiana Wesleyan University, 11/4/06 Jesse Lord-Wilder 19:00; Lisa Wojciakowski 19:06; Amanda Strouse 19:15; Stacey Hoffman 19:20; Kelsey Webb 19:26

9. 96:17, Heritage Park, Adrian, 11/4/00 Val Kunde 18:42; Nichole Gummere 19:14; Christine Gow 19:18; Sarah Carter 19:23; Allison Turnbull 19:40

10. 96:27, Riverside Park, 10/24/09 Carly Plank 18:39; Katy Cramer; 19:08; Emily Popma; 19:32; Alicia Boynton 19:33; Rachel Fechik 19:34


1607 Robinson Road S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799 - (616) 632-8900