Tobin, Knights top 2021 UMAC women's cross country awards list

Tobin, Knights top 2021 UMAC women's cross country awards list

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ST. PAUL, Minn.---The 2021 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) women's cross country championship crowned a new champion for the first time since 2014 with Martin Luther College capturing the team title Saturday at Nemadji Golf Course in Superior, Wisconsin. Breanna Olson eanred Coach of the Year accolades for leading her team's historic performance, while Kayla Tobin of Bethany Lutheran College was the top finisher and individual medalist. 

Women's Results | Championship Site |

Olson's Knights won just the second title in program history and first since 1995 with a team total of 44 points which was 16 points better than runner-up University of Minnesota Morris. The Knights led the All-UMAC performances with four total honorees and a conference-best three First Team selections. En route to victory, Abigail Buege paced the team finishing second with Maya Habben and Hannah Kratz finished in the top eight. 

Tobin became the first individual champion in bethany Lutheran program history and the team's first All-UMAC First Team finisher since 2016. The sophomore clocked a time of 23:30.5 that was 48 seconds faster than the rest of the field. Her performance helped the Vikings to a third-place team finish. 

Martin Luther led all teams with four all-conference awards. Minnesota Morris was the only other team with more than one First Team performer and had three total honorees which matched Bethany Lutheran and the University of Wisconsin-Superior's three All-UMAC nods each. Crown College picked up two awards and North Central University had one.

Crown won the team sportsmanship award, an accolade that is selected by the UMAC coaches and awarded to the team that best represents sportsmanship throughout the entire season, including the championship event. Each team also had one representative named to the individual sportsmanship award list. 

2021 Individual Champion - Kayla Tobin, Bethany Lutheran
Coach of the Year - Breanna Olson, Martin Luther

2021 UMAC Women's Cross Country All-Conference First Team
Place Name School Time Yr. Hometown
1st Kayla Tobin Bethany Lutheran 23:30.5 So. Watertown, Wis./Homeschool
2nd Abigail Buege Martin Luther 24:42.6 Jr. Katy, Texas/Luther Prep
3rd Abby Pausch Crown 24:47.4 Jr. Sleepy Eye, Minn./Homeschool
4th Maya Habben Martin Luther 24:48.3 Fy. Flagstaff, Ariz./Luther Prep
5th Briahna Hensel Minnesota Morris 24:50.3 Fy. Cottage Grove, Minn./Park
6th Kaitlyn Ladwig Minnesota Morris 24:57.8 Sr. Granite Falls, Minn./Yellow Medicine East
7th Elizabeth Lofstad North Central 25:01.6 Fy. Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial
8th Hannah Kratz Martin Luther 25:09.8 So. Sterrett, Ala./Great Plains Lutheran


2021 UMAC Women's Cross Country All-Conference Second Team
Place Name School Time Yr. Hometown
9th Anna Brueckner Crown 25:37.8 So. Swanton, Vt./Homeschool
10th Jordan Merwin Bethany Lutheran 25:38.4 So. Isanti, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti
11th Ilsa Hoaglund Minnesota Morris 25:46.0 Fy. Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids
12th Nicole Koski Wisconsin-Superior 25:50.4 Sr. Park Falls, Wis./Chequamegon
13th Meagan Berg Wisconsin-Superior 25:56.8 So. Tomahawk, Wis./Tomahawk
14th Leah Nushart Martin Luther 25:58.6 So. Reedsville, Wis./Manitowoc Lutheran
15th Cianna Hoppe Bethany Lutheran 26:22.2 Jr. Lewiston, Minn./Luther
16th Kennedy Robelia Wisconsin-Superior 26:50.2 Jr. Durand, Wis./Durand

2021 UMAC Women's Cross Country Sportsmanship Awards
Team Award -
 Crown
Bethany Lutheran - Cianna Hoppe, Jr,.Lewiston, Minn./Luther
Crown - Greta Greniger, Fy., Rockford, Minn./Rockford
Martin Luther - Amanda Rehberger, So., Appleton, Wis./Luther Prep
Minnesota Morris - Kaitlyn Ladwig, Sr., Granite Falls, Minn./Yellow Medicine East
North Central - Tea Davis, Fy., Papillion, Neb./Paillion South
Northland - Ally Kile, So/. Elk Grove, Calif.
Northwestern - Megan Nowak, Sr., Athens, Wis./Athens
Wisconsin-Superior - Kennedy Robelia, Jr., Durand, Wis./Durand