YANKTON, S.D. -- Madison Nelson and Hannah Perkins continued their steady improvement at Saturday's Mount Marty Invitational held at Yankton's Fox Run Golf Course. Perfect conditions, with temperatures in the 50's, sunny skies, and a light breeze, greeted the 148 women who toed the starting line for the five-kilometer event.
As she has done at nearly every race this season, Nelson reduced her own personal best and Bruin school record to 18:29.8, placing fourth in a field that included NAIA eighth-ranked Dordt and NCAA Division II-ranked Sioux Falls. Nelson placed herself in the top twenty early and, as she has done all season, patiently passed competitors falling just three seconds shy of the third position.
Perkins had her second break-out race in as many weeks as she reduced her personal best by 13 seconds, cruising to a 28th place finish in 19:49.1. Only Nelson and former school record holder Lorena Ramirez have run faster in Bruin history.
Claire Kimutai completed the Bruin competitors on the day as she crossed the line in 132nd position in a time of 23:58.3.
Head Coach Craig Christians: "Madison continues to move up through the ranks of local NAIA runners. At Briar Cliff, she had three Dordt women in front of her, and today that was down to one. She's still limping around a little bit from a nagging injury, but when it's "Go Time," she goes. She epitomizes tough. Hannah's progress in less than a year has been nothing short of amazing. We had a chance to see Dakota State and Dickinson for the first time today, and she knew that her chances for advancing to nationals ride on how she does against them. She went out and beat them all today, and that's all about having a goal and a willingness to work hard for months to achieve it."
Today's meet concludes the Bruins' regular season schedule, and they will travel to Dickinson, N.D. on November 4 for the NSAA Championships. The championship team and the top four individuals not on that team will qualify for the NAIA National Cross Country Championship scheduled for November 18 in Tallahassee, Fla.
