Despite Injury, Wieferich Finishes 54th at Nationals

Katie Wieferich

Katie Wieferich capped a fabulous fall for The College of Wooster cross country team Saturday with a courageous effort at the NCAA Div. III Championships, hosted by Ohio Wesleyan University, as she finished 54th out of 213 runners while competing with a severe lower leg injury.

“She had really a super effort, considering the circumstances she was under,” commented Wooster head coach Dennis Rice.

Wieferich came into the week with high hopes, having won five of seven races this season and placing third overall at the recent NCAA Great Lakes Regional, but she came limping back from a training run Nov. 13. Wieferich was on crutches during the week and received treatment.

“Going into the meet, we were expecting for a top-25 finish, if she was healthy,” Rice explained. “She went out competed very hard for having an ankle/foot that was not usable, in terms of being 100 percent. It was a super effort. It took a lot of guts to go out and race, basically on one leg.”

Wieferich somehow covered the 6K course at the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio, in a time of 23:18.6. Evidence of how much the injury may have effected her was that the runner who finished one spot behind her at the regional came in 12th overall (22:36.9). Winning the individual title was Hailey Harren of Gutavus Adolphus College, hitting the line in 21:51.9.

The good news for Wieferich is that she’s a junior and should suffer no long-term effects from the injury.

“We’re looking forward to getting healthy and hopefully having this opportunity again next year,” concluded Rice.