LINCOLN, NEB. - Senior Ashley Anklam (Bloomington, Minn.) became the first Drake runner to capture the Missouri Valley Conference women's individual championship since 2000 when she won the 5,000-meter race Saturday.

Anklam covered the 5,000-meter race at Pioneers Park in 17 minutes 36.80 seconds. She had finished runner-up in the 2005 MVC Championships in Evansville, Ind., being clocked in a personal best of 16 minutes 40.37 seconds on the 5,000-meter course. She placed third as a sophomore in the 2004 MVC Championships.

"I'm not going to lie," said Anklam, " I always get nervous before a big race, but I try to use that to my advantage blocking everything out. I'm vert excited about winning but at the same time I'm sad that this is my last Missouri Valley Conference race."

Anklam trailed Wichita State's Chelsie Baldwin before grabbing the lead for good at the 4,000-meter mark which was near the base of a hill. Baldwin finished second in 17:40.30.

"Ashley really ran an intelligent race," said Drake cross country coach Dan Hostager. "She had a great running effort and timed it perfect to make her move."

Anklam became the fourth runner in Drake history to win the MVC individual women's title joining Liz Hjalmarsson (1982), Karla Burds (1988, 1989) and Sara Murton (2000) in the elite group.

"This is a great confidence booster for me heading into the NCAA Regional meet (Nov. 11 in Falcon Heights, Minn.)

Drake senior Avery Buresh (Wadena, Minn.) was 32nd in 19:05.40, while senior Jennifer Reff (Fergus Falls, Minn.) was 45th in 19:34.80.

Wichita State defended its team title with 38 points, while Drake was eighth with 187 points.

22006 MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE
CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP
************************
** Women's 5K **
************************
Lincoln, NE Oct 28, 2006 10:30 A.M.
Champion Chip Results Provided by AllSportCentral.com

***** TEAM SCORE *****

1. Wichita State
2 4 6 7 19 (25) (40) = 38
2. Southern Illinois
10 11 16 17 26 (35) (46) = 80
3. Missouri State
5 12 20 22 24 (50) (58) = 83
4. Northern Iowa
3 8 13 30 36 (48) (51) = 90
5. Indiana State
9 14 27 34 37 (41) (62) = 121
6. Bradley
15 28 29 39 45 (49) (67) = 156
7. Illinois State
21 23 31 38 47 (53) (60) = 160
8. Drake
1 32 44 54 56 (57) (65) = 187
9. Creighton
18 33 43 52 55 (66) (68) = 201
10. Evansville
42 59 61 63 64 (69) (70) = 289


2006 MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE
CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP
************************
** Women's 5K **
************************
Lincoln, NE Oct 28, 2006 10:30 A.M.
Champion Chip Results Provided by AllSportCentral.com

Place Pts No. Name Yr School Finish Pace
===== ==== ===== ======================== == ================== ======== =====
1 1 218 Anklam, Ashley SR Drake 17:36.80 5:41
2 2 290 Baldwin, Chelsie JR Wichita State 17:40.30 5:42
3 3 270 Hawley, Traci JR Northern Iowa 17:51.70 5:45
4 4 291 Becker, Sarah SR Wichita State 17:58.10 5:48
5 5 269 Wolkey, Kristin SO Missouri State 18:03.15 5:49
6 6 294 Land, Mica JR Wichita State 18:05.30 5:50
7 7 295 Lemon, Kimber JR Wichita State 18:10.20 5:51
8 8 275 Schrunk, Caedryn SO Northern Iowa 18:13.40 5:52
9 9 252 Engle, Laura SR Indiana State 18:14.10 5:53
10 10 285 Rinker, Sarah SR Southern Illinois 18:21.25 5:55
11 11 280 Christensen, Brittani JR Southern Illinois 18:24.90 5:56
12 12 267 Vest, Jamie SO Missouri State 18:25.10 5:56
13 13 277 Vermie, Quinn SR Northern Iowa 18:29.70 5:58
14 14 256 Prince, Dani SR Indiana State 18:31.45 5:58
15 15 208 Westrick, Sarah SR Bradley 18:33.05 5:59
16 16 279 Birn, Katie SR Southern Illinois 18:34.05 5:59
17 17 287 Wagner, Lindsay SR Southern Illinois 18:38.00 6:00
18 18 210 Foste, Megan JR Creighton 18:45.50 6:03
19 19 296 Martinez, Olivia FR Wichita State 18:45.75 6:03
20 20 261 Codrington, Clarissa SR Missouri State 18:46.50 6:03
21 21 246 Thompson, Kathleen SO Illinois State 18:47.75 6:03
22 22 268 Vestal, Carrie JR Missouri State 18:50.55 6:04
23 23 241 McDonald, Betsy SR Illinois State 18:52.65 6:05
24 24 263 Key, Chloe JR Missouri State 18:54.60 6:06
25 25 292 Feldberga, Linda JR Wichita State 18:55.05 6:06
26 26 289 Williams, Nefeteri FR Southern Illinois 18:56.20 6:06
27 27 249 Alexander, Kayla FR Indiana State 18:56.40 6:06
28 28 201 Brubaker, Rachel FR Bradley 19:01.95 6:08
29 29 206 Schultz, Ainslie JR Bradley 19:04.25 6:09
30 30 278 Wacker, Andrea FR Northern Iowa 19:04.60 6:09
31 31 248 Turner, Suzy JR Illinois State 19:04.70 6:09
32 32 221 Buresh, Avery SR Drake 19:05.40 6:09
33 33 216 Staeheli, Anne FR Creighton 19:11.30 6:11
34 34 257 Pugh, Emily FR Indiana State 19:15.50 6:12
35 35 282 Dokubo, A'Seret FR Southern Illinois 19:18.30 6:13
36 36 271 Houlihan, Shayla SR Northern Iowa 19:20.50 6:14
37 37 251 Durr, Leah SR Indiana State 19:21.65 6:14
38 38 240 Ebbesen, Kim FR Illinois State 19:23.45 6:15
39 39 204 Lotter, Tracy FR Bradley 19:26.30 6:16
40 40 293 Klotz, Heather FR Wichita State 19:30.20 6:17
41 41 250 Costello, Julia SO Indiana State 19:31.00 6:17
42 42 236 Sonnenschein, Andrea JR Evansville 19:31.60 6:18
43 43 211 Greig, Melissa FR Creighton 19:31.60 6:18
44 298 York, Rachel FR Wichita State 19:33.50 6:18
45 44 227 Reff, Jennifer SR Drake 19:34.80 6:19
46 45 205 Nowak, Katie SO Bradley 19:40.45 6:20
47 46 286 Schilling, Cherylynn SR Southern Illinois 19:40.95 6:21
48 47 245 Smudde, Kim SO Illinois State 19:45.20 6:22
49 48 272 Huling, Amanda SO Northern Iowa 19:54.30 6:25
50 49 203 Lile, Shelby SO Bradley 20:00.40 6:27
51 50 264 Miller, Auvia FR Missouri State 20:00.65 6:27
52 51 274 Johnston, Sarah SO Northern Iowa 20:00.95 6:27
53 52 214 Jergenson, Molly FR Creighton 20:04.20 6:28
54 281 Davis, Ty-Nica SR Southern Illinois 20:06.00 6:29
55 53 247 Turilli, Stacey FR Illinois State 20:12.15 6:31
56 54 220 Braunsdorf, Nicole SO Drake 20:16.20 6:32
57 55 215 Righeimer, Stephanie JR Creighton 20:17.20 6:32
58 56 225 Heinz, Courtney FR Drake 20:20.45 6:33
59 57 228 Scieszinski, Tara FR Drake 20:23.05 6:34
60 58 262 Fletcher, Emily FR Missouri State 20:26.90 6:35
61 59 234 Hoy, Andrea JR Evansville 20:32.95 6:37
62 60 242 Nelligan, Maureen JR Illinois State 20:34.25 6:38
63 61 237 Svoboda, Arrena FR Evansville 20:36.70 6:39
64 62 253 Engle, Sarah SR Indiana State 20:41.50 6:40
65 63 232 Enzler, Franny SO Evansville 20:42.05 6:40
66 64 235 Kern, Jaclyn JR Evansville 20:44.30 6:41
67 65 223 Hamling, Sarah FR Drake 20:45.30 6:41
68 66 217 Tanimoto, Kari JR Creighton 20:45.90 6:42
69 67 202 Glander, Melanie FR Bradley 20:51.90 6:43
70 68 209 Foley, Mary SO Creighton 20:56.30 6:45
71 229 Phelan, Katie Drake 20:58.50 6:46
72 265 Nelson, Staci FR Missouri State 21:00.90 6:46
73 212 Hannon, Krista JR Creighton 21:07.40 6:48
74 69 231 Bowlds, Megan SO Evansville 21:43.35 7:00
75 70 230 Bowlds, Katie SO Evansville 21:59.05 7:05
76 238 Turner, Meredith FR Evansville 22:15.30 7:10