Sports - Sports News

POSTED: Friday, Nov. 28, 2008

WHATCOM CONNECTIONS:Former Bellingham High runner wraps up college career

When Kristen Carter was cut from the soccer team her freshman year in high school, she decided to give cross country a shot.

It was while participating in cross country at Bellingham High School that Carter fell in love with running. Her passion for the sport has taken her across the country.

Carter just capped off her collegiate cross country career at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the NCAA Division III Championships. The senior finished 131st, running the six kilometer race in 22 minutes, 41.24 seconds. Carter became the first three-time national qualifier in cross country for Grove City.

"When I started running I was not expecting that," Carter said in a phone interview. "It was my goal to qualify for nationals but I didn't know I'd do that so soon (sophomore year). I run because I love it. I don't run to win. I love to race. I love that feeling of chasing people. (Success) is more secondary."

Carter spent the last four years running for a storied program. The women's cross country team won its 20th-consecutive Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship this season. It was a highlight race for Carter, who was named PAC Most Valuable Performer for the third straight year after winning the individual title.

The PAC was also Carter's best race of the season. She ran the 6-kilometer course in a school-record time of 21:04.

Carter has experienced a lot of success with the Wolverines. As a sophomore she placed 175th at nationals and followed that up with a 26th place finish last season to earn All-America honors.

But the pressure to better that her senior year became too overwhelming.

"It was probably the most disappointing race of my season," Carter said. "At the mile marker I was in about 10th or 11th and then I started to let the pressure get to me."

Carter was only one of three Grove City runners competing at nationals.

"Since the team is not there it also makes a big difference," she said. "Earlier in the season I'm always racing with my teammates. It's an incredible motivation that you're working together as a team for a goal. When it's just you, it kind of changes everything."

While Carter's cross country career has ended at Grove City, she's not quite done with running.

After being injured the past two track seasons, Carter said she's hoping for a strong season this spring. After that, she has her sights set on marathons.

"This is definitely not the end of my running career," Carter said.

Carter has struggled with three stress fractures during her college career, and at times she thought about giving up her sport. But what she's learned from competing has proven to valuable.

"I went to a Division III school on purpose," Carter said. "I knew I didn't have the talent to run for a D-I school. (My success) took me by surprise but there's a lot of struggle...I have learned so much from my team and from my coach about being a leader, setting goals and motivation. Honestly I think I've learned more from athletics than any class I've taken."

Athletics aside, Carter will graduate from Grove City with degrees in communication and marketing. At the time being she's contemplating a career in teaching and coaching.

When Carter graduates in the spring she plans on staying on the east coast for a few years but eventually wants to return back to the west. Her commute will be easier from Pennsylvania when she hopes to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

FERNDALE PRODUCT LEADS NU TO WIN

Carleigh Newman, a Northwest University freshman forward from Ferndale, led the Eagles with 22 points and 14 rebounds in a 82-26 rout over Walla Walla University on Monday, Nov. 24.

Newman also plays volleyball for the Eagles.

FOOTE CHIPS IN DOUBLE FIGURES IN CENTRAL WIN

Brandon Foote, a Central Washington University senior forward from Bellingham and Whatcom Community College, scored 11 points off the bench in a 135-50 win for the Wildcats over Multnomah on Saturday, Nov. 22.

Foote was 4 of 10 shooting and also had four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 18 minutes of play.

DEBOER RECEIVES GPAC HONORS

Kyle DeBoer, a Northwestern junior receiver from Lynden, received honorable mention Great Plains Athletic Conference football honors.

The former Lion caught 11 passes for 144 yards and one touchdown. DeBoer also served on the Red Raider special teams.

DeBoer was one of 19 Northwestern players to be recognized.

REACH SOMER BREEZE AT SOMER.BREEZE@BELLINGHAMHERALD.COM OR 715-2285.