Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
NCAA Regionals
Ali Bishel Places 7th At Great Lakes Regional
November 14, 2009 | Cross Country
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - - Behind a career-fast 6k time of 21:07.07, Ball State redshirt junior cross country runner Ali Bishel (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton H.S.) powered her way to a seventh-place finish and All-Region honors at the 2009 NCAA Great Lakes Regional hosted by Indiana.
In her second appearance on the Indiana University Cross Country Championship course this season, Bishel was the top runner from the Mid-American Conference at the meet, clocking in almost four-and-a-half seconds better than Toledo's Ari Fisher who placed ninth overall.
Michigan State's Emily Macleod won the race in at 20:42.70. Notre Dame was the overall team winner, placing three runners in the top 15 while scoring 94 points. Ohio State was a close second, with two runners in the top 14 and 102 points. With their 1-2 showings, Notre Dame and Ohio State earned the region's two team bids into the NCAA Tournament.
Despite her strong showing, Bishel will have to wait until Sunday at 7 p.m. to see if she earns a spot in the NCAA Championships, as she was first individual runner not to earn an automatic bid. However, she could still earn the automatic bid if either Michigan or Indiana receive one of the 13 team at-large bids into the championships.
Michigan placed third in the regional with 104 points and one runner ahead of Bishel. Indiana placed fourth with 105 points and two runners in front of Bishel.
If neither Michigan or Indiana earn a team at-large slot, Bishel is still in line for one of two individual at-large berths. Check ballstatesports.com tomorrow to see if Bishel earns a spot in the NCAA Championships which will be held Monday, Nov. 23 at Indiana State University.
MEET PREVIEW
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State cross country runner Ali Bishel (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton H.S.) will travel to Bloomington, Ind., Saturday to compete in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional hosted by Indiana on the Indiana University Cross Country Championship Course. The women's 6K meet is scheduled for a 1:15 p.m. start.
Bishel led the Cardinals in all four meets she competed in including four top-six finishes. The redshirt junior standout finished fourth (22:33.10) at the 2009 Mid-American Conference Championships (Oct. 31), BSU's latest 6K competition, to earn First Team All-MAC accolades.
Bishel has already taken on the IU Championship Course once this season, finishing sixth at the 6K Sam Bell Invitational (Oct. 17) with a time of 22:10.20.
To automatically qualify for the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships, which will be run Nov. 23 in Terre Haute, Ind., Bishel would have to finish the regional meet as one of the top four student-athletes not on a qualifying team and place in the top 25 overall.
Bishel could also earn one of two at-large selections if she is not an automatic qualifier. To earn an at-large bid, Bishel would have to be one of the highest non-qualifying finishers among all the regional meets and place within the top 25 in the region.
In 2007, Bishel earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Championships by placing seventh at the Great Lakes Regional with a time of 21:00 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind.
Bishel went on to place 52nd out of 253 participants at the 2007 NCAA Championships, topping all MAC runners with a time of 21:12.
