Allie McLaughlin, shown here running at this fall's Rocky Mountain Shootout, took fifth at the NCAA Division I National Championships on Monday. Photo by Rick Wilson.
While it was mostly a day of disappointments for the University of Colorado cross country teams, there were one or two highlights to be found amidst the rubble.
Most notable among the highlights was the fifth-place individual finish for the team's most diminutive member--Allie McLaughlin. McLaughlin kept a strong pace throughout the race and found herself well among the leaders at the finish. Her time of 20:01 was only15 seconds off of the winning mark. Adding to the intrigue of her finish is the fact that McLaughlin ended her freshman cross country campaign with what was easily the best performance of any freshman in the field.
For those who doubted McLaughlin after she faded to fourth late in the Foot Locker finals last December, the answer has been given. Of the much-celebrated finalists from last year, only Jordan Hasay came close to having the season McLaughlin enjoyed.
Elsewhere, it was a deeply disappointing meet for the CU women. Jenny Barringer collapsed mid-race and ultimately finished in 163rd place. Laura Tremblay, who had run so well for the Buffaloes all fall, also struggled with her race. As a team, the Buffaloes finished well back in 20th place. Not the kind of ending this team was hoping for.
On the men's side, illness and injury struck at all the wrong times and in all the wrong places. With Kenyon Neuman out and Jordan Kyle hampered by illness, the Buffs did well to finish as high as they did in sixth. On a day where things could have turned out much worse, the CU men at least matched their ranking coming into the meet. Christian Thompson's 30:24 was the top finish for the men in 44th place.
Air Force's Justin Tyner finished in 30:37 for 71st place.
On the women's side Kristen Hemphill and Ellie Rastall represented Colorado State University. Hemphill finished in 128th and Rastall in 162nd, 34 places and 15 seconds apart.