The Central Methodist University's women's and men's cross country teams ended their seasons solidly at the 2011 NAIA Cross Country National Championships Saturday among the more than 600 competitors present.
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CMU had seven women participate in Nationals, held in Vancouver, Wash. on Saturday Nov. 19; freshmen Katie Olvera (Marshall, Mo.) and Hailey Breusch (Moberly, Mo.), sophomores Elise Schreiber (Jefferson City, Mo.) and Adriana Romero (Redwood City, Calif.), and juniors Tabatha Dickey (Fayette, Mo.), Amber Beaverson (Moberly, Mo.) and Taylor Beaverson (Moberly, Mo.).

In her first collegiate season, Olvera was the top finisher for the CMU women's team, running the 5k race in 19 minutes, 45 seconds. She placed 139^th out of 323 runners. Grand View's Obsie Birru won the individual national title with a time of 17:15.
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Central Methodist's women's team finished 29^th, the highest placing team in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. None of the seven runners who participated in Nationals for Eagle Coach Mark Nelson were seniors, so prospects for 2012 are bright.
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On the men's side, the lone CMU men's qualifier, junior Colby Lapresi (Geneva, N.Y.) finished 191^st out of 312 runners in the 8k race in 26 minutes, 28 seconds. Wayland Baptist's Kennedy Kithuka placed first, with a time of 23:15.