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The NAIA has recognized Graceland runners Jaclyn Keil and Kendra King as 2005 Daktronics-NAIA Women's Cross Country All-American Scholar-Athletes.

Keil, a junior from Rosemount, Minn., is studying elementary education. She was a leader throughout the 2005 season and finished 39th in the NAIA National Championship this fall.

King is a two-time All-American Scholar-Athlete award winner. The senior hails from Attleboro, Mass. and is studying sociology at Graceland.

Four of Graceland’s runners competed in Saturday’s 2005 NAIA Cross Country Championships held in Louisville, Ky.

Luke Keny, Graceland’s lone male runner, placed 225th as he crossed the finish line at 27:42.60. Jaclyn Keil led the Yellowjacket women, placing 39th with a time of 18:43.45. Beth Hooten crossed the tape at 19:56.15, placing 167th in the national event. Allison Emslie placed 203rd with a time of 20:19.20.

The Graceland University cross country teams were represented by four athletes at the 2005 NAIA National Championships in Louisville, Ky. and junior Jaclyn Keil picked the right time to shine as she placed 39th overall in a field of 259 competitors.

Keil, who hails from Rosemont, Minn., has been the leader throughout the season for the Yellowjacket women's squad. Keil improved her personal best by 33 seconds to finish 39th in the nation. Keil finished just nine places from becoming the second female cross country All-American in Graceland history. 

The 39th place finish was the best of the three Yellowjacket competitors in the women's race that included a 167th place finish by senior Beth Hooten, (El Reno, Okla.) and 203rd by freshman Allison Emslie, (Tucson, Ariz.). The three women qualifiers were the most female runners Graceland has sent to the national meet in nearly 10 years. 

Sophomore Luke Keny was the only Yellowjacket to compete on the men's side of the bracket where the Eldoret, Kenya, native placed 165th out of the 261 competitors.

"Overall, I am extremely pleased with the results," says Coach Kent Allshouse. "It was everyone's first trip to a cross country national meet and I felt they handled the pressure and crowded field exceptionally well."

The 2005 national championships had the best showing for the Yellowjackets in head coach Kent Allshouse's career, and the future looks bright as three of the big four finishers will be back in action next fall.

The Graceland University cross country teams competed at the Region V meet in Fayette, Mo. on Saturday and the teams have four members still running – running all the way to the national championships.

The Yellowjacket women’s team picked the right time to peak as they finished third in the region and will be sending three competitors to the national event. Junior Jaclyn Keil finished sixth in the 111 person field with a time of 19:20.9. Junior Beth Hooten had her best finish of the year as she placed 10th in a time of 20:13 and rounding out the top three was freshman Allison Emslie who placed 12th with a time of 20:21.2.

All three women earned all-region honors and qualified for the national championship in Louisville, Ky. on November 19.

The men’s team finished fifth at the region meet, highlighted by sophomore Luke Keny, who finished eighth on the men’s side of the draw and qualified for nationals with a time of 26:00.02. Keny’s eighth place finish was the Jackets’ best out of a regional field that had 117 total competitors. Senior Mark Boswell just missed his second time qualifying for nationals as he finished 18th overall with a time of 27:08.3. Sophomore Karim Martin was also close to making the big race as he finished 21st overall in a time of 27:21.9. Keny was also honored as all-region for his effort on the day.

Head Coach Kent Allshouse is pleased with all of his men’s and women’s efforts this year. The four members that will represent Graceland at the national meet are part of the school’s largest group of runners since Allshouse has been the head coach.

The Graceland University cross country teams had a very successful weekend as each team finished third at the conference championships in Fayette, Mo.

Leading the way for the Graceland men was sophomore Luke Keny who finished sixth overall with a time of 26:26. Senior Mark Boswell was the next Jacket across the line as he finished 14th overall with a time of 27:05. Sophomore Karim Martin rounded out the Jackets’ top three as he placed 18th overall in a time of 27:30.

The Yellowjackets men’s team placed a total of six runners in the top half of the conference championships as sophomores James Bailey (28th), Heath Brown (30th) and Casey Gray (38th) all ran well.

The Graceland women also had six competitors that finished in the top half of the meet and leading the way was the always steady junior, Jaclyn Keil, who crossed the tape in 19:23 and sixth place. Allison Emslie was the next Yellowjacket to finish as the freshman placed tenth overall with a time of 20:11. Right behind Emslie was junior Beth Hooten who placed 13th at 20:23.

Also running very well for the women’s team were sophomore Jemarie Alcordo (21st), senior Kendra King (32nd) and freshman Megan Neeley (43rd).

Along with the strong team efforts the Yellowjackets also landed five competitors on the all-conference teams. Both Keny and Boswell earned the honors for the men and the women landed three on the honored list as Keil, Emslie and Hooten earned all-conference status.

The Jackets will return to Fayette, Mo. on November 5 for the Region V championships, then national qualifiers will travel to Louisville, Ky. for the NAIA National Championships on November 19.

The Graceland University cross country teams traveled to Winfield, Kan. to take part in the Mid-States Classic on Saturday, October 15. Both teams continued to run well in events that feature runners from all levels of college competition.

In this weekend’s event the Jackets took on runners from some of the top programs in the NAIA and both the men and the women faired well as the women placed 11th out of 22 teams and the men placed 12th of the 23 teams.

Junior Jaclyn Keil was the first Yellowjacket across the finish line as she placed 23rd amongst the field of 194 runners. Keil’s time of 19:30 was good enough for sixth place finish amid all HAAC runners and just ahead of teammate and fellow junior Beth Hooten who came in at 34th overall in 19:42.

In total five Jackets finished in the top half of the meet as senior Kendra King and freshmen Allison Emslie and Megan Neeley all ran well.

On the men’s side sophomore Luke Keny continued to lead the way for the Jackets as he had another solid effort finishing 21st overall in a group that included 204 runners. Keny finished in a time of 26:15.90 which was seventh among HAAC competitors.

Senior Mark Boswell was the second Jacket to finish as he crossed the line at 26:42.70 and 35th place overall. Two other Jackets finished in the top half of the race as Casey Gray and James Bailey finished in times of 28:14.87 and 28:17.87 respectively.

Both Graceland squads finished third out of the five HAAC teams at the Mid-States meet which will be the final tune-up before the HAAC championship on October 29 in Fayette, Mo.

The Graceland University cross country teams traveled south to Stillwater, Okla. to take part in the 2005 Cowboy Jamboree on Saturday, October 1. The event sponsored by Oklahoma Sate University featured 25 teams in the women’s 5000-meter event and 28 teams in them men’s 8000-meter run.

Kent Allshouse, head coach of the Yellowjackets, has to be pleased with the performance of his two teams as the men placed 8th and the women placed 9th.

Graceland’s top finisher on the day was sophomore Luke Keny who finished 11th out of the 222 runners, even though he was suffering from a stomach flu. Keny’s time of 27:20 was less than a minute and a half off of the winner who posted a time of 25:55. Senior Mark Boswell was the next Jacket across the finish line as he finished 36th overall with a time of 28:26.

Three Yellowjacket sophomores finished in the top half of the meet: Karim Martin came in at 50th place (28:45), Heath Brown 63rd (29:03) and Casey Gray 74th 29:16.

The Graceland women also had a great showing at the meet and the team was led by freshman Allison Emslie who finished 32nd out of 214 runners. Emslie’s time of 20:57 was just ahead of teammate Beth Hooten who finished at 42nd in a time of 21:13.

The Yellowjacket women also had a total of five runners in the top half of the pack, as sophomore Jemarie Alcordo (58th, 21:36), junior Jaclyn Keil (73rd, 21:56) and senior Kendra King (75th, 22:03) all ran well in the event.

Both of Coach Allshouse’s teams are performing well as they head into the Mid-States Championships on October 15. The Winfield, Kan. meet will be the cross country team’s final tune up before the HAAC championship that will take place in Fayette, Mo. on October 29.

The Graceland University men’s and women’s cross country teams traveled to Joplin, Mo.to take part in Missouri Southern State University’s Southern Stampede. Both teams took part in the huge event that featured competition from teams that included NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and junior college talent.

The Graceland men finished 19th of their 33 team field while the women finished 20th out of the 35 teams.

Highlights for the men’s group included a top Yellowjacket performance by Luke Keny who finished in a time of 26:08.11, which was 41st overall and second best among Heart of America Athletic Conference runners. Mark Boswell was the second-best Jacket on the day as he came in with a time of 27:22.60, which was sixth best of the HAAC performers. James Bailey and Karim Martin where the next two Jackets to cross the finish line, as they came in consecutively at 27:44.00 and 27:44.50. Heath Brown was the final competitor of the Yellowjackets’ top five as he finished the 8000 meter run in a time of 28:08.80.

The women had a best overall performance by Jaclyn Keil, who finished her 5000 meter event in a time of 19:22.80, which was 73rd overall and second among HAAC runners. Allison Emslie was the second Jacket to cross the finish line as she ran a smooth 19:34.20 which was third amongst the HAAC’s athletes. Beth Hooten (20:04.60), Kendra King (20:20.00) and Megan Neeley (21:24.90) round out the Jackets’ top five performers on the day.

Both teams showed well in an event that featured some of the top runners in the country at every level and they will face some more of the nation’s best when they travel to Stillwater, Okla. on October 1 to take part in Oklahoma State University’s Jamboree.

Sophomore Luke Keny led the Graceland men’s cross country team to an eighth place finish at the Central Missouri State University meet Friday in Warrensburg, Mo. Keny ran the four-mile race in 21:15.05 and placed 14th overall.

Lamoni native Mark Boswell was 50 seconds behind Keny and James Bailey ended just five runners later in 22:01.50. Sophomore Heath Brown was third on the Graceland team at 22:31.17 and Karim Martin followed Casey Gray to the finish line to place 55th and 56th with times of 22:41.81 and 22:43.13.

Next weekend the Jackets travel to Joplin, Mo. to run in the Missouri Southern Invitational on Saturday, September 17.

Men’s team results are listed below:
1 Central Missouri State --- Total Time: 1:44:57.31
2 Lindenwood University --- Total Time: 1:45:52.85
3 William Woods University --- Total Time: 1:47:01.32
4 Pittsburg State --- Total Time: 1:47:38.75
5 Northwest Missouri State --- Total Time: 1:48:58.43
6 Mid America Nazarene --- Total Time: 1:48:34.36
7 Mule Track Club --- Total Time: 1:49:58.22
8 Graceland University --- Total Time: 1:50:25.25
9 Park University --- Total Time: 1:50:10.05
10 William Jewell --- Total Time: 1:52:26.65
11 Missouri Valley College --- Total Time: 1:53:06.58
12 Central Methodist University --- Total Time: 1:57:16.26
13 Haskell Indian Nations --- Total Time: 2:01:35.84
14 Wentworth Military Academy --- Total Time: 2:09:16.93

The Graceland University’s cross country teams traveled to Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan. for the Maple Leaf Invitational on Saturday, September 3.

Both the men’s and women’s team had great group efforts that were highlighted by a second place finish on the women’s side by junior Jaclyn Keil and the men were led by sophomore Luke Keny who finished 7th.

The Graceland women’s team finished fourth in the 3200-meter event amongst the nine teams that featured four other HAAC programs. Along with Keil’s great finishing time of 12:25.51, two other Yellowjackets finished in the top 25 of the women’s division, including freshman Allison Emslie who placed 20th with a time of 13:08.99, while junior Beth Hooten came in shortly after at 13:15.07 at 24th place. Senior Kendra King just missed the top 25 as she finished at the 27th spot in 13:30.70.

The men’s team equaled the women’s finish with fourth place out of the 11 teams in their 5K event that also included four other HAAC programs. Luke Keny’s time of 16:48.32 was good enough for a seventh place finish which also was third amongst the HAAC runners.

Junior Mark Boswell was the Jackets’ only other top 25 finisher as he placed 24th with a time of 17:25.77. Sophomores James Bailey and Heath Brown just missed the top 25 coming in at 27th and 31st respectively.

Both Yellowjacket teams are off and running to a good start in 2005 and the teams will look to better their fourth place finishes when they compete in Warrensburg, Mo., at the Central Missouri State University Invitational on Friday, September 9.

On Sunday, July 24, Graceland University head cross country and track Coach Kent Allshouse (’84) and his wife Sheri (Piepergerdes, ’88), who works in the Graceland admissions office, will begin a seven-day 515-mile bike ride across the state of Iowa to raise money for scholarships and equipment for the Graceland running programs. The couple will be gathering pledges per mile or flat amount pledges for the ride event with monies going to supplement the cross country and track equipment and scholarship budgets.

“We have some of the best equipment in the conference, but it is time to update some of the pieces as well as add money to our depleted restricted scholarship fund,” said Allshouse. “Many students, and especially foreign students, come to Graceland with literally only the shirt on their back and are in great need of outside financial assistance to stay in school and pursue their dream of studying and competing as a Graceland Yellowjacket. Many such student-athletes have been multiple All-Americans, Olympic trial qualifiers and All-American scholar athletes.”

Coach Allshouse, who had hip replacement surgery last July, came up with the idea for the fundraiser while still in the hospital. “I have always been a runner and when the doctor told me I couldn’t run any more I thought of biking as an alternative,” said Allshouse. “I swore to my family, my team and to myself that the next summer I would ride across the state of Iowa. I figured this trip could not only serve as a source of needed additional funding, but as a conclusion of my physical rehabilitation. I hope that everyone will make a pledge.”

Kent and Sheri will begin their journey in Le Mars, Iowa, and finish on Saturday, July 30 along the banks of the Mississippi River in Guttenburg, Iowa. The couple will average 75 miles a day carrying all their gear on their bicycles and will camp along the way.

While Coach Allshouse said they will accept and be grateful for pledges of any amount for the event, he is hopeful that the majority of people will make a pledge of $.20 per mile or $100 dollars. Pledges will be accepted before, during and after the event. Please use the link below to submit your pledge for this great cause. Coach Allshouse thanks you in advance for your willingness to help.

allshous@graceland.edu

The Heart of America Athletic Conference has recognized 32 Graceland University athletes as All-Conference Scholar-Athletes for 2004-05.

The Yellowjacket softball, women’s track and football teams led the way with four scholars each, followed by the women’s volleyball, men’s track, men’s cross country and men’s soccer teams with three scholar-athletes apiece.

The following is a list of Graceland’s 2004-05 HAAC Scholar-Athletes:
Athlete -- GPA -- Sport -- Major
Jaclyn Keil -- 4.00 -- Cross Country/Track -- Elementary Education
Kendra King -- 3.77 -- Cross Country/Track -- Sociology
Thomas Nichols -- 3.93 -- Cross Country/Track -- Accounting
Barnaby Fletcher -- 3.47 -- Cross Country -- Psychology
Mark Boswell -- 3.43 -- Cross Country/Track -- Biology/Chemistry

Mark Boswell and Tom Nichols have been honored with the 204 Daktronics-NAIA Men’s Cross Country All-America Scholar-Athlete award.

Boswell, from Lamoni, Iowa, is studying biology and Nichols, from Clarinda, Iowa, is a senior working on his business degree.

To be nominated for this national award, Boswell and Nichols had to hold a 3.5 minimum GPA, be a varsity participant and be of junior or above academic standing.

The NAIA named Graceland junior Kendra King to the 2004 Daktronics-NAIA Women’s Cross Country All-America Scholar-Athlete Team.

King, from Atleboro, Mass., is studying English at Graceland.

King’s best rank this season was her 24th place finish at the Maple Leaf Invitational in Baldwin City, Kan.

Graceland junior Mark Boswell placed 98th in the 2004 NAIA Men’s Cross Country National Championships held in Louisville, Ky. on Saturday afternoon.

Boswell’s time of 26:38.70 placed him 98th in a field of 259 runners from around the nation. The meet was paced by a Lindenwood University runner who finished in 24:17.20.

To qualify for the national meet, Boswell led the Graceland team in the Region V Meet with a 13th place finish on the 8000-meter course with a time of 27:15.

Throughout the season, Boswell has placed anywhere from 11th to 58th in the seven meets he has participated in. His 11th-place rank was at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Meet at Benedictine College, where he ran the 8K in 28:04.

Mark Boswell, from Lamoni, Iowa, qualified for the NAIA National Cross Country Meet in Louisville, Ky., on November 20, 2004.

Boswell led the Graceland team in the Region V Meet held last weekend in Lamoni. The Yellowjacket junior ran the 8000-meter course in 27:15 and placed 13th in the meet.

Boswell has placed anywhere from 11th to 58th in the seven meets he has participated in this season. His 11th-place rank was at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Meet at Benedictine College, where he ran the 8K in 28:04.

Other accomplishments throughout the season include: 14th place at the 5K Maple Leaf Invitational at Baker University (17:01), 30th at the Iowa State University 8000-meter Open (28:13), 32nd at Southwestern College Mid-States 8K (26:56), 48th at Augustana Brissman-Lundeen Davenport, Iowa (26:20), 58th Woody Greeno 8K at Pioneer Park in Lincoln, Neb. (28:08).

Running on a course that was unveiled for the first time on Friday night, the Graceland cross country teams ran well in the Region V Cross Country Meet held in Lamoni, Iowa.

The Yellowjacket women started the morning with a 5,000 meter race on the new course that is due east of the Graceland University campus on Smith Street. Beth Hooten lead the Graceland runners with an 19th place finish in 21:18.

Jaclyn Keil was second for the Jackets with a time of 22:31 followed by Lindsay Brown at 22:57 and Allison Forth in 63rd place at 24:36. The injured Kendra King ran the 64th best time of 24:56. Central Mehotdist’s Evelina Slatinska won the meet with a remarkable 17:57, nearly one minute ahead of the second-place runner. As a team, the Graceland women placed 8th overall in the 11-team event.

Graceland’s men produced a fourth-place finish on the 8,000 meter course, riding the shoulders of Mark Boswell’s 13th place run of 27:15. With this time, Boswell may have a shot at running the National Cross Country Meet, but will not find out his fate until later this week. Boswell trailed the leader of the race, Soimo Kiplagat from Lindenwood University, by three minutes.

Graceland’s Luke Keny was on the heels of Boswell at 27:22 in 15th place. Due to a family emergency, the Jackets’ third runner, Sammy Biwott, did not compete in the event, so Tom Nichols moved to the third spot and placed 20th with a time of 27:41. Karim Martin was the next Yellowjacket to cross the finish line, followed by Heath Brown.

“Graceland ran very well despite the loss of Sammy,” said Coach Kent Allshouse. “I am very pleased with the performance of the athletes, and I must say the course was beautiful.”

Allshouse and his assistant coach, Danny Alvarado, have been working on the course since last spring and have created a 2610 meter loop of rolling hills surfaced in grass and dirt.

Other teams running on the new course at the region meet in Lamoni include: Baker University (HAAC), McKendree College (AMC), Benedictine College (HAAC), MidAmerica Nazarene University (HAAC), Central Methodist University (HAAC), Missouri Baptist University (AMC), Evangel University (HAAC), Missouri Valley College (HAAC), William Jewell College (HAAC), Hannibal-LaGrange College (AMC), William Wood University (AMC) and Lindenwood University (HAAC).

Both men’s and women’s cross country teams competed at the Heart of America Athletic Conference championship on Saturday, October 30th in Atchison, Kan. Graceland’s men’s team finished with a fourth place effort while the women’s group reached sixth.

The men had five runners finish in the top 25 with Mark Boswell leading the way at 11th. Sammy Biwot and Tom Nichols were the next two Jackets to cross the line at 16th and 17th respectively. Karim Martin at 24th and Jonathan Bernal at 25th round out the top 25 performers for the Jackets.

On the ladies side Beth Hooten led the way with an 18th-place performance while Jaclyn Keil and Kendra King each had good performances coming in at 28th and 36th places.

The Yellowjacket cross country teams will lace up for the Region V meet, hosted by Graceland on Saturday, November 6th, due east of campus behind Industrial Hardfacing’s east plant building on Smith Street.

The Graceland University men’s cross country team placed 10 and the women placed 14th at the Mid-States Meet held at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan.

Complete results can be found on the schedule page of the cross country website.

The Graceland University men’s cross country team broke into the Top 25 National Rankings this week, with 12 total votes for a tie for 25th place.

Graceland is the third Heart of America Athletic Conference team to be nationally ranked. MidAmerica Nazarene University is 14th and Lindenwood University is at the 18th spot.

The Yellowjackets travel to Winfield, Kan. on October 15 to run in the Mid-States Meet at Southwestern College.

On November 6, Graceland will host the Region V Championship Meet. Start time will be announced at a later date.

After two full days of orientation this weekend, Graceland University’s 2004 fall student-athletes began work on the playing fields on Monday, August 16.

Student-athletes from the men’s and women’s cross country, football, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams started preseason practices early Monday morning and finished late Monday night for the first day of the 2004 season.

Due to anticipated heat, teams are practicing outside early in the morning, hitting the weight room and the swimming pool in the afternoon and return outside for evening workouts.

The opening meet for cross country is September 4 at the Maple Leaf Invitational at Baker in Baldwin City, Kan., beginning at 10:25 a.m.