You are currently viewing historical information. -> Return to current season <- While we strive to provide accurate historical information, there may be some inaccuracies. If you find errors, please email them to sportsinfo@uwec.edu. Please include a source of proof (newspaper, yearbook, etc.) to support your claim. ![]() Tue, Feb 18, 2025 No Event(s) Scheduled For Selected Date Wirtz Selected To NCAA Championship Posted: Sunday, November 16, 2008 INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - UW-Eau Claire men's cross country runner Chris Wirtz (Jr. -Weston, Wis./DC Everest) has been selected to compete in the 2008 NCAA Division III National Championship, NCAA officials announced today. Yesterday Wirtz led Eau Claire to a sixth place finish out of 39 teams at the NCAA Regionals in Rock Island, Ill. after taking 19th place in a time of 25:17 on the 8K course. Wirtz qualified as an at-large selection. Fifty-six individuals, the first seven athletes from each region who are not a part of a qualifying team, were selected to participate in the championship. This is the first time since 2001 the Blugold men will be represented at nationals. In 2000 and 2001 an individual ran for Eau Claire, while in 1999 the men competed as a team and placed 13th and in 1998 they placed 11th. The two seasons before that Eau Claire raced only individuals in the national meet. This year the Blugold women will race as a team at the national meet. They automatically qualified after taking first place at the regional yesterday. Last season the Eau Claire women finished in eighth place at nationals. Hanover College will host this year's championships, November 22, at the L.S. Ayres Complex in Hanover, Indiana. The men's race will begin at 11 a.m. Eastern time followed by the women's race at noon Eastern time. - KM - |