YPSILANTI, Mich. – Jessica Shaw started her junior season with the Albion College cross country team with a 20th place performance in the Eastern Michigan University Celebration Meet.
Shaw, who finished the 2014 season as an individual runner in the NCAA Division III Championship, completed the 5,000-meter course in 18 minutes, 15 seconds. The athletes who reached the finish line before Shaw were unattached or represented Division I programs Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, and Michigan.
"It was such an awesome feeling lining up with some of the best teams in Michigan," Shaw said. "I had all kinds of nerves and adrenaline running through me, the only thing on my mind was racing, and as Mitch Clinton said, putting Albion on the map.
"I was competitive every second of the race, I felt like I had so much to prove and so much to gain," Shaw added. "I was out there reminding people D-III athletes have talent, too, and we can keep up.
"It was such a great feeling going into such a large meet with a team that was positive and excited to get out there and compete," Shaw continued. "I think our new freshmen, men and women, handled the large race perfectly. They went out with the right mentality and intensity. They really pushed themselves. I couldn't be more proud of how the race turned out for the Albion College cross country team."
Leanne Wegley was the second Briton to reach the finish, coming in 56th with a time of 20:08.
Then a wave of Britons (Kendra Cook, Maddy Dennison, and Keena Gilbert) was separated by just 12 seconds.
Albion College Results
Distance: 5,000 meters
Albion's next meet is the Spartan Invitational. The meet is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 18 at the Forest Akers East Golf Course.
