FULL RESULTS

PHOTO GALLERY (COURTESY OF DAVID NICHOLS)

Clinton, Miss. – Freshman Maegan Leider broke the school record for fastest time on a 6,000-meter course by more than 17 seconds to lead the Concordia University Texas women's cross country team to a third-place finish at the 2012 American Southwest Conference Championships on Saturday, Oct. 27 at Mississippi College. Leider, who hit the tape in 23:09.43, was crowned the ASC Freshman of the Year and was among four Tornados to be named all-conference.

Mississippi College, which along with Texas Lutheran finished with 53 points, claimed the team title through a new NCAA tiebreaking procedure which compares runner-by-runner place finishes for the five scoring runners between the programs. The Choctaws won three of five place comparisons versus the Bulldogs to capture their league-best ninth crown. Concordia was not far behind in third with 60 points, while Texas-Tyler rounded out the top four.

Leider's record-breaking mark of 23:09.43 placed her fourth overall and smashed the previous standard of 23:26.6 set by Megan Wagenaar at the Incarnate Word Invitational. It was the also the freshman's first time competing on a 6,000-meter circuit at any level. Junior co-captain Caitlin Rowlette finished seventh overall and second on the team in 23:54.56, while Celeste Neff and Wagenaar also garnered all-conference accolades by placing 11th and 14th with times of 24:38.09 and 24:57.69, respectively. Haley Vanklompenburg completed the team's top five by finishing 24th in 25:51.31.

Concordia will look to compete at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional on Saturday, Nov. 10 in Atlanta, Ga.

Notes: Maegan Leider became the first student-athlete in program history to be named the American Southwest Conference Freshman of the Year … She was also named to the All-ASC First Team along with Caitlin Rowlette … Leider and Rowlette ran the two fastest times in school history at a postseason championship meet, bettering Megan Wagenaar's mark of 24:05.93 that she recorded at the 2011 ASC Championships … Celeste Neff and Megan Wagenaar made the All-ASC Second Team … Rowlette and Wagenaar, who are both junior co-captains, became the first two student-athletes in program history to garner ASC postseason recognition three times in their respective careers … They each made the All-ASC Second Team as freshmen and the All-ASC First Team as sophomores … Leider and Rowlette ran the fastest times in program history at a postseason championship meet …
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Team Standings:
1. Mississippi College 53; 2. Texas Lutheran 53; 3. Concordia 60; 4. Texas-Tyler 91; 5. Hardin-Simmons 129; 6. LeTourneau 158; 7. Texas-Dallas 179; 8. East Texas Baptist 184; 9. Ozarks 278; 10. Louisiana College 283; 11. Sul Ross State 294; 12. Howard Payne 308.

Concordia Results:
4. Maegan Leider 23:16.48; 7. Caitlin Rowlette 23:54.56; 11. Celeste Neff 24:38.09; 14. Megan Wagenaar 24:57.69; 24. Haley Vanklompenburg 25:51.31; 38. Rebecca Reina 26:56.26.