Complete Results

HOUGHTON, Mich. – #Eleanor Magnuson# (So.-Champlin Park, Minn.) saved her best classic race for the most important race of the season, finishing in eighth place at the NCAA Central Regional Skiing Championships 5km classic.

Northern Michigan swept the podium with three skiers finishing in just 2.4 seconds. Laura DeWitt earned the win with a time of 16:59.1 seconds, while teammate Christina Gillis finished exactly one second back in 17:00.1 seconds. Another three-tenths of a second back was Monica Markvardsen in third. NMU won the team event.

Magnuson was backed up by #Julia Curry# (Jr.-Woodbury, Minn.) in 21st and #Lindsey Johnson# (Fr.-St. Louis Park, Minn.) in 38th to round out the Saints scoring. The Saints finished fifth on the day.

Top ten finishers receive all-region honors, and Magnuson's eighth place makes her the first female NCAA All-Region skier in Saints history.

“This is a top classic performance by Eleanor,” said Saints head coach Chad Salmela. “Everyone in the region focuses on this weekend and Eleanor posted her best classic finish ever on such and important day. It was just great.”

The Saints end the regular season tomorrow with the 15km mass start freestyle.

NCAA Central Region Championships
Women's 5km Classic
Houghton, MI
1 DeWitt , Laura NMU 0:16:59.1
2 Gillis , Christina NMU 0:17:00.1
3 Markvardsen , Monica NMU 0:17:01.4
4 Riikonen-Purtsi , Henna MTU 0:17:08.6
5 Korthauer , Aurelia UAF 0:17:10.1
6 Soderman , Marie Helen NMU 0:17:22.1
7 Schnurr , Theresia UAF 0:17:28.8
8 Magnuson , Eleanor CSS 0:17:37.3
9 Freeman , Carolyn UWGB 0:17:41.0
10 Hett , Erica GAC 0:17:57.0
21 Curry , Julia CSS 0:18:27.6
38 Johnson , Lindsey CSS 0:19:37.6
40 Holmes , Megan CSS 0:19:45.8
46 Lund , Caroline CSS 0:20:33.5
47 Wallis , Lindsay CSS 0:20:33.6
50 Johnson , Sarah CSS 0:20:46.4

Team Scores
1 NMU 30 29 28 87
2 UAF 26 25 20 71
3 MTU 27 21 17 65
4 CSB 19 18 16 53
5 CSS 24 15 7 46
6 GAC 22 12 10 44
7 UWGB 23 13 6 42
8 SCSU 11 9 8 28
9 STO 14 5 19