2006 Blazer Cross Country Review

The 2006 College of Saint Benedict Cross Country team ended a stellar campaign with numerous awards and accolades. In her tenth season leading the Blazers cross country team Robin Balder-Lanoue to guided CSB a fifth place finish in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships. 

The Blazers started their season off on the right foot by defending their home course. CSB took first place at the SJU Invitational in Collegeville, Minn. First-year Margot Branigan (Roseville, Minn. Roseville) earned a second place finish while teammate Maggie Donahue (Plymouth, Minn./ Wayzata) took third. Continuing their success CSB tied for fourth place out of 23 teams at the St. Olaf Invitational in Northfield, Minn. Branigan again lead the Blazers taking 16th. CSB’s most impressive performance came October 14 when the Blazers notched a perfect score at the DQ Fall Freeze hosted by UW-Superior. Donahue, Branigan, junior Kaylee Rasmussen (Waconia, Minn./ Waconia), sophomore Sam VanWechel (Fergus Falls, Minn./ Fergus Falls), junior Kristin Haubrich (Shakopee, Minn./ Shakopee) and senior Aileen Galatowitsch (Vadnais Heights, Minn. / Mounds View H.S.) combined to sweep the top six spots.
 
CSB completed their conference season at the MIAC Championships held at Como Park in St. Paul, Minn. The Blazers took fifth place overall just 11 points behind fourth place Gustavus. Margot Branigan took 17th place while Maggie Donahue was 21st and Kaylee Rasmussen finished 23rd earning each honorable mention All-MIAC. Kristin Haubrich was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.

The Blazers concluded their 2006 campaign at the NCAA Division III Central Regional in Chicago, Ill where CSB secured 9th place. Aileen Galatowitsch ended her CSB career with a 33rd place finish earning All-Region honors.

CSB was also recognized for their achievements in the classroom by the USTFCCA. With a 3.44 cumulative GPA the Blazers were one of the top teams academically in 2006. Aileen Galatowitsch was also named to the USTFCCA all-academic team. A psychology major, Galatowitsch carried a GPA above 3.5.