Norse Capture IIAC Championship - Dobyns Named League MVP
Oct. 27, 2007
For the fourth time in the past five years, Luther College was crowned the Iowa Conference champions. The Norse, who have now won a league best 11th league title, had seven runners earn all-conference honors (top-15 finish individually) en route to a team total of 38 points. Wartburg College was second with 52, followed by Central College with 87.
2006 All-American Janet Dobyns (Iowa City/West) captured her second consecutive league title with an impressive 20 second victory. Dobyns covered the 6,000-meter course with a time of 22:09, finishing ahead of Central's Angie Berry, who was clocked at 22:30. Dobyns was named the league MVP for the second time in as many years, becoming the 13th Luther runner to earn IIAC MVP honors in the 26-year history of this race. She also becomes the third runner to be presented this honor twice in Luther history.
Dobyns, Rachel Wobeter (Toledo/South Tama) and Elise Bennett (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) were the only runners of Luther's seven all-conference performers to earn this honor more than once. Dobyns joined an elite group of seven Luther athletes to earn all-conference honors three times, while Wobeter and Bennett became two-time all-conference performers. Bennett placed ninth with a time of 23:42 and Wobeter placed 13th clocked at 23:53.
Earning all-conference honors for a first time was Ericka Sell (Duluth, Minn./East), Flannery Cerbin (La Crosse, Wis./Central), Annie McKay (Iowa City/City) and Katie Dolan (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata).
Associate Head Coach Yarrow Pasche was named the IIAC Coach of the Year for the second time in as many years.
The Norse will be off until the NCAA Central Regional that will be hosted by St. Olaf College on Nov. 10. The Norse will be attempting to qualify for the NCAA III National Championships for a second year in a row and the ninth time in school history.
