Storm cross country in top 10 in final regular season regional rankings

NEW ORLEANS - Both of the Simpson College cross country teams once again held their regional ranking in the final regular season edition of the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Rankings.

The women came in fifth, while the men were seventh. The two teams have held the rankings since the first week of the regular season. The final regional rankings will be based on the results of the regional meet on Nov. 11.

The teams are coming off good showings at the American Rivers Conference Championship on Saturday. The women finished third place, the team's best showing since 1994. Lara Kallem paced the women with a ninth-place finish, the first Storm runner to earn back-to-back all-conference cross country honors since Catie Ellingson in 2009-10. Teghan Booth and Ashley Rockhold also finished inside the top 20 for all-conference honors.

The men were led by Spencer Moon, who took second place overall at the conference meet. The senior standout had the best individual performance by a Storm runner at the conference championship since Dave Halferty's title in 1989. Moon helped the Storm men to a fourth-place overall finish, as Ean Warrick and James Murray also each earned all-conference honors.

The Storm will have this coming weekend off before competing in the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 11, which will be hosted by Wartburg.

USTFCCCA MIDWEST REGIONAL RANKINGS - WOMEN
1. Chicago
2. Wartburg
3. Washington (Mo.)
4. Central
5. Simpson
6. Millikin
7. Illinois Wesleyan
8. Loras
9. North Central (Ill.)
10. Grinnell

USTFCCCA MIDWEST REGIONAL RANKINGS - MEN
1. North Central (Ill.)
2. Wartburg
3. Washington (Mo.)
4. Central
5. Chicago
6. Loras
7. Simpson
8. Grinnell
9. Cornell College
10. Luther