Barr shatters Monmouth record, places third at NCAA regional

Release Date: November 15, 2004

Monmouth's Zach Barr heads for home Saturday at the NCAA Midwest Regional Cross Country Championships at Credit Island Park in Davenport, Iowa. Barr placed third with a Monmouth-record time of 24:28 for an 8K race. He will compete at next weekend's national championships in Colfax, Wis.

MONMOUTH, Ill. — Saturday in Davenport, Iowa, Monmouth College’s Zach Barr proved he is one of the best Division III cross country runners in the Midwest. Next weekend, he’ll get the opportunity to show he’s one of the nation’s best, as well.

At the NCAA Midwest Regional at Credit Island Park, Barr shattered the previous Monmouth record for an 8K race, completing the course in 24:28 to shave 27 seconds off the 1992 record of Dan Schisler. Like Barr, Schisler had set the record while competing at an NCAA regional meet at Credit Island Park.

“That was perfect execution of a race plan,” said MC coach Roger Haynes moments after Barr had crossed the finish line with the record for the highest finish for a Scots runner at regional. “He stayed in contact with the leaders throughout, and he ran an awesomely fast time.”

Initially, Barr was concerned with staying with the top five or seven runners competing for schools that wouldn’t advance as a team. But after reaching the three-mile marker in 14:50 and right on the heels of the leaders, he said, “I knew it was time to go. There was no option, just instinct.”

Barr covered the final two miles in a lightning-fast 9:38, and he finished just five seconds out of first place.

“He placed third in the best region in the country,” said Haynes. “Certainly a top 30, All-American finish is within his reach next week. He ran well on that course a year ago (in Colfax, Wis.).”

“I had hoped to be in the top 10 today,” said Barr. “I definitely want to make All-American next week. It’s a realistic goal, I think.”

Barr wasn’t the only success story on Saturday, as four other Fighting Scots ran personal record times, and the other two competitors just missed. As a team, Monmouth achieved its goal of a top half finish by placing 13th. The scorers were Anthony Welty (71st, 25:44), Kel Bond (101st, 26:13), Adam Rodriguez (114th, 26:32) and Aaron Etienne (121st, 26;46). Scott Heair and Kyle Schierer were seconds off their best time.

“We ran well,” said Haynes. “I’ll take everything that we got. I was especially pleased to see Adam Rodriguez make the jump from No. 7 runner to No. 4. That’s amazing.”

On the women’s side, freshman Tiffanie York paced the Monmouth women with a 57th place finish in 23:02.7 over the 6K course.

The Scots pack stayed intact, finishing the course within 1:30 of each other. Joni Nelson (173rd, 25:44.7), Audrey Bellefeuille (185th, 26:05.7), Erin Mann (187th, 26:22.2), Ashley Gaul (196th, 26:53.6) and Laura Turk (202nd, 27:12.0) comprised the Scots’ pack of runners with Kelly Caruso (231st, 30:19.3) also scoring. Women’s soccer players Bellefeuille and Turk were competing in only their second meet of the year, joining the squad last week at the conclusion of their soccer season.

With three sophomores, one freshman and one junior set to return next season the Monmouth women can look forward to 2005 as only Turk will be lost to graduation.

Men's Cross Country  |  Women's Cross Country