2015 Kenai Central graduate Allie Ostrander showed the nation that she can beat the best by winning and setting a course record Friday at one of the biggest collegiate cross-country races of the season.
Ostrander topped the field of 246 to win her second college race of the season with a new course record time of 19 minutes, 19.5 seconds, at the Wisconsin Adidas Invitational on the Thomas Zimmer Championship course in Madison, Wisconsin. The meet is billed as one of the most competitive of the year.
The Boise State freshman used a steady pace to slowly work her way through the top 10 on the six-kilometer course, going from seventh place at the 2K mark to breaking away with three other runners at the 4K mark.
At the finish, Ostrander finally pulled out a gap to beat Notre Dame senior Molly Seidel by 2.9 seconds. Arkansas senior Dominique Scott finished third in 19:32.5.
With the victory, Ostrander became just the second freshman ever to win the Wisconsin Invite, joining Cal Poly frosh Laura Hollander in 2012, and beat NCAA champion Abbey D’Agostino’s 2013 course record by 12 seconds.
Ostrander also helped the Broncos women’s team to claim sixth in the team standings among 36 teams. The Boise State women had finished 17th at the same meet in 2014.
Fellow Boise State freshman Brenna Peloquin was the next-highest Broncos runner in 27th (20:17.4), sophomore Minttu Hukka finished 45th (20:28.6) and junior Anna Holdiman took 83rd (20:50.5) to round out the 100 Broncos finishers. New Mexico won the team title by placing five runners in the top 10.
