Ostrander places 6th at national championships to become a 9-time All-America runner

Alaska's Allie Ostrander is an All-America runner again.

Ostrander, a Kenai Central graduate, was in the lead pack for much of the race but finished in the chase pack en route to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA cross-country championships Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin.

The finish marked the third time Ostrander, a Boise State junior, has earned Division I All-America honors in cross country. She's a six-time All-American in track.

Sixth place represents her worst placement at the national cross-country championships — she finished second as a freshman in 2015 and was fourth last season after taking a redshirt season in 2016.

Ostrander led the 6-kilometer race at 2 kilometers and stayed either in the lead or near it through 4.5 kilometers. With 1.5 kilometers left, Weini Kelati of New Mexico broke away and Dani Jones of Colorado followed to create a small gap.

Jones went on to win in 19 minutes, 42.8, a victory that helped Colorado capture the women's team title. Kelati finished second 3.3 seconds later.

Ostrander finished 14.9 seconds off the winning pace in 19:56.9. She was the top runner for Boise State, which entered the meet ranked third in the nation but wound up sixth in the women's team standings.

Ostrander, the Alaska high school record-holder at 1,600 and 3,200 meters, is a two-time national track champion in the steeplechase.

Blackmore runs to NAIA honors

Anchorage's Kayle Blackmore claimed NAIA All-America honors Friday by running to 26th place at the national championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Blackmore, a senior at Southern Oregon, finished in 18:01, 45 seconds off the winning pace set by Anna Shields of Point Park. The West High grad helped her team place fourth in the team standings.

Taking the women's team title was Oregon Tech. Helping the Owls to the championship was Faith Widman of Fairbanks, a freshman who graduated from West Valley. She placed 68th in 18:29.