| 2007
Honors
Mitchell
named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes
Ashley Mitchell, McPherson
College senior from Great Bend, Kan., was named recently as a NAIA/Daktronics
Cross Country Scholar-Athlete for the 2007 season.
 Mitchell
ran a season and collegiate best of 22:13.6 at the Tabor Invitational.
A 2005 graduate of Great Bend ( Kan. ) High School and in her third
year of attendance at McPherson College, Ashley is currently a senior
academically and on schedule to graduate next May with a degree
in graphic design.
“We were please to have Ashley
named to the Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete team.”
“We appreciate the leadership
she has provided in the classroom as well as her contributions to
the team and our campus community.”
Recipients of the Daktronics-NAIA
Scholar-Athlete award must have a minimum grade point average of
3.50 on a 4.00 scale, be a junior or above in academic standings,
and been in attendance at the nominating institution a minimum of
one full school year.
*****
Ortiz,
Bailey earn All-KCAC honors
McPherson College senior
Israel Ortiz and junior Brent Bailey have been named to the 2007
All-KCAC (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) cross country first
team by virtue of their placings in the recent KCAC cross country
championships held October 28th at Cottonwood Point of Marion Reservoir.
Ortiz won the 2007 KCAC men's
individual title and tops the All-KCAC first team while Bailey placed
seventh to also earn first team All-KCAC recognition.
 Israel
Ortiz , a 2004 graduate of Limon (Colo.) High School and
transfer from Pratt (Kan.) Community College, won the KCAC Championships
in a time of 26:08.5.
His first place finish was
the first individual title in cross country by a McPherson College
runner since 1977, and led the Bulldogs to second place, the highest
team finish since 1976.
Ortiz' time in winning the
KCAC Championship ranks second only to his own personal best for
the 8-kilometer distance of 26:03.4 which he ran in last year's
Region IV Championships.
On November 3rd , Ortiz qualified
for a second trip to the NAIA National Championships with a third
place finish in the Region IV Championships held in Omaha, Nebraska,
with a time of 26:18.8, his third best all-time 8k time.
The son of Jesus and Maria
Ortiz of Limon, Colo., Israel is a biology/pre-med major at McPherson
College .
 Brent
Bailey , a 2005 graduate of Limon (Colo.) High School was
named to the All-KCAC first team after placing seventh at the KCAC
Championships in a personal best time of 27:13.9. Bailey's PB came
despite falling about a mile into the 8-kilometer race
Bailey followed up his All-KCAC
performance by qualifying for his first NAIA National Championship
race with an 11 th place finish at the Region IV Championships,
in a time of 27:15.0 his second best all-time.
2007 marks Bailey's third
year to receive All-KCAC recognition. As a freshman and sophomore
he placed 15 th at the 2005 and 2006 KCAC meet to earn honorable
mention All-KCAC honors.
Brent is the son of Don and
Janet Bailey of Simla, Colo. He is a business major.
Ortiz and Bailey were previously
high school teammates at Limon High School.
“It is really gratifying
to see Israel and Brent rewarded for the work they have put in,
developing as runners at the collegiate level,” said McPherson College
head coach Dave Smith. “While Brent was slightly injured upon his
return to school this fall, both had put in the work over the summer
to establish the foundation necessary for the great season they
have had.”
“Both are leaders in practice
and on our campus. They have set goals for themselves and their
team, and have then gone out and put forward the effort, and given
us the leadership, necessary to improve both as individuals and
as a team.”
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