[Women's Cross Country] Three national qualifiers for Mustangs

DUBUQUE, Iowa -- Three members of the Mount Mercy women's cross country team will race at the NAIA national meet after leading the Mustangs to a third-place finish at the 2011 Midwest Collegiate Conference Championships on Saturday at the Dubuque Soccer Complex.

Senior Kara Danielsen qualified for her second straight national meet after a sixth-place finish with a time of 20:10 in the women's 5K. Sophomore Anne Bruno was right behind her in seventh place in 20:14, followed by junior Taylor Helms who placed eighth in 20:22. Danielsen and Bruno were named all-conference, while Helms was honroable mention all-MCC.

Sophomore Stephanie Nibaur finished 15th with a time of 20:56 for the Mustangs. Sophomore Mackenzie Holladay was 21st in 21:22, senior Britney Yotter 23rd with a time of 21:25 and junior Shelby Daisy 28th in 21:47.

For the fourth season in a row, Obsie Birru was Harrier of the Year, leading Grand View to a two-point victory over Viterbo (Wis.) for the team title. The Vikings finished with 41 points, the V-Hawks 43. Mount Mercy was next with 57 points, followed by St. Ambrose (90), Ashford (134), Clarke (174), William Penn (210) and Iowa Wesleyan (237).

The 32nd Annual NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championships are Saturday, Nov. 19, at 10:30 a.m. local time at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash.