CLU Sports

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - It has been thirteen years since Cal Lutheran cross country has sent a runner to the NCAA Championships and thanks to Ray Ostrander that streak is over. The junior harrier will compete at the national championship meet this Saturday in Highland Hills, Ohio.

Official Website: 2009 NCAA Division III Cross Country Nationals

Ostrander is also just the third CLU male to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships. John Colvin was the last to do so in 1996 and Jonz Norine was the first in 1991.

With a 10th place finish at the NCAA West Regional meet on Nov. 14, the Hayward, Wis. native secured a spot in the national championship field.

"Running against the other runners in Division III does not mean too terribly much.  It's kind of a personal philosophy of mine that I don't research other runners' times and places before meets like other runners do," Ostrander said. "I am incredibly excited to run against one of the toughest fields I've ever had to face--running in a race when everyone else is incredibly fast will really help to pull me along."

Ostrander's time was 26:02.39 in the men's 8k regional, 49 seconds better than his race on the same course on Oct. 3 this season. He earned his second consecutive all-region honor with a top-35 finish and will run on a national stage at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Nationals starting at 9 a.m. (PST) and Noon local time in Ohio.

"I don't think I am as routine-oriented as other distance runners as far as pre-race ritual, but at this point, being successful is all about the little things," Ostrander said. "Getting the sleep I need, being in the right mindset and having just that right amount of nervousness will all really help me to do well."

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges, Willamette (OR) University and Colorado College will each have their men's teams competing in the meet and just seven individual runners from the west region qualified for a shot at an individual national title.

Eric Kleinsasser (Occidental), Francis Reynolds (Puget Sound), Shawn Fisher (Linfield), Aaron Jenkins (Whitworth), Nicholas Gallagher (Whitworth) and Karl Dickman (Lewis & Clark) will join Ostrander as individual qualifiers from the west region.

Baldwin-Wallace College will play host to the 2009 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 21 at Highland Park Golf Course in Highland Hills. They will have results and meet previews available on their championship site.