CCSU’s Kreutzer Places 2nd at 2004 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships
November 20, 2004
Evansville, Ind. – Clayton College & State University freshman Allison Kreutzer came three seconds from winning the individual NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championship Saturday hosted by the University of Southern Indiana.
Competing against 188 of the nation’s top Division II runners, Kreutzer was the runner-up in the race, finishing second to Chelsea Smith of Brigham-Young Hawaii. She finished with a time of 21:36 on the 6K course, just three seconds behind Smith. Kreutzer becomes the first Clayton State athlete to be named an All-America in cross country, as the top 15 runners in the event received the honor.
Kruetzer finished strong, passing several in the field near the end of the race. She was in 12th at the two-mile split before moving up 10 places to finish second.
The All-America honor puts an exclamation point on a record-breaking season for Kreutzer. Earlier this season, she claimed the title of the fastest female runner in the Peach Belt Conference and in the State of Georgia, winning both the Georgia Collegiate Championships and the Peach Belt Conference Championships in 2004.
Kreutzer (Lilburn,GA) became the second true freshman to win the PBC women’s title, speeding away from Kennesaw State University runner Patrina Hayes by more than 24 seconds in the final mile. Kreutzer set a new school record in the PBC race with a time of 17:24, and her time was a course record and the fastest to win a Peach Belt meet.
Kreutzer won five races this year, capturing the Georgia Collegiate, the Furman Invitational, the Wingate Invitational and the college division of the Georgia State Invitational. She placed second in the NCAA Division II South Regional with a school record of time of 21:08, which qualified her for the NCAA Division II National Championships.
She received the Peach Belt Runner of the Year, All-Conference and PBC Freshman of the Year awards. Her four 5K times run this year are the four fastest 5K’s in school history and her two 6K times are also the two fastest 6K’s in the program’s 10 years.
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