Nov. 24, 2008

Florida State Finishes Third At 2008 NCAA Cross Country Nationals

TERRE HAUTE, Ind., - Despite temperatures dropping below 40 degrees Fahrenheit right before races began, Florida State fought through the bitter cold and was able to post three All-Americans and have eight student-athletes set personal records, one of which who took second place at the 2008 NCAA Cross Country Nationals. Host Indiana welcomed the nation’s top collegiate runners to Terre Haute this weekend to run at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course for elite competition.

"The cold and windy conditions at NCAA’s were challenging for this team,” said women’s head coach Karen Harvey. “These ladies could have used the unusually harsh conditions as an excuse, but they are tougher than that. I think some other teams and followers of the sport doubted FSU's ability to compete in the cold.”

Heineking Earns All-America Honors at NCAA Championships

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Virginia men’s and women’s cross country teams concluded the 2008 season at the NCAA Championships on the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course at the Wabash Family Sports Center on Monday morning. Second-year Emil Heineking (Chardon, Ohio), the only true freshman to earn All-America honors a year ago, earned his second-consecutive honor to become the Cavaliers’ first two-time cross country All-American, claiming 26th overall to lead the men to a 14th-place finish, while the women finished 26th.

“When you consider how many universities make sincere attempts at fielding really good cross country teams and how many great athletes and coaches there are out there, for us to finish 26th and 14th on the same day is fantastic,” head coach Jason Vigilante said. “Of course, there are always areas that you see room for improvement, but to me, each person contributed their very best today and I’m proud of all of our athletes and the staff that went into today’s performance. We’ll travel home now, visit with our families, and reflect on a great season for both the men and the women. I’m happy with what we’ve accomplished. Today was a fine day to finish on a high note.”

NC State Men’s Cross Country Finishes 21st At NCAA Meet

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Paced by top 20 finishes from Bobby Mack and John Martinez, the NC State men’s cross country team used its at-large bid to the NCAA Cross Country Championships and came away with a No. 21 national finish.

The Wolfpack, one of just two Atlantic Coast Conference teams to earn a bid to the NCAA race, scored 473 points, with the low score winning the championship. Mack, a sixth-year senior, finished 47th overall, 38th for the team scoring, and ran the 10k course in a time of 30:25. Martinez, a redshirt-junior, was 49th overall and 40th in the team scoring. He ran a time of 30:26.

BC Women's Cross Country Concludes Season At NCAA Championships

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Boston College women's cross country team finished 27th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships hosted by Indiana State on November 24. Senior Nichole Lister led all BC runners with an 84th place finish and a time of 21:16 in the 6k race that was run on the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center.

Washington ran away with the team championship with 79 points while Oregon and Florida State rounded out the top three with 131 and 163 points, respectively. Texas Tech's Sally Kipyego took the individual crown for the second-straight season with a time of 19:29. Boston College finished with 651 points.

Fanning rewrites Tech record books, places third at NCAAs

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Virginia Tech runner Tasmin Fanning saved her best cross country race for last, as the senior ended her Hokie cross country career with a third-place finish, covering the 6k course in a career-best time of 19:37.1 on Monday at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.

Fanning gave two of the best cross country runners in the nation all they could handle. The Charlottesville, Va., native finished nine seconds behind the winner, three-time national champion Sally Kipyego from Texas Tech, who finished in 19:28.1, and less than three seconds behind runner-up Susan Kuijken of Florida State, who earned a time of 19:34.9.

Tar Heel Duo Earn All-America Honors

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Senior Brie Felnagle and junior Lauren Holesh capped off a stellar cross country season Monday morning as the duo captured All-America honors in Terre Haute, Ind. Felnagle took home fourth place, the best finish of her career, with a time of 19:53.3, while Holesh clocked a 6K time of 20:35.4 for 30th overall. The two All-Americas mark just the third time in school history that a pair of Tar Heels have earned the honor the same season.

Felnagle ran with the lead pack the majority of the race and was battling with ACC foes Tas Fanning of Virginia Tech and Susan Kuijken of Florida State. The Tacoma, Wash., native slipped behind the three leaders but was able to hold off Iowa's Rachael Marchand to claim the top finish of her four-year career. The All-America honor is Felnagle's 10th of her career and third on the cross country circuit.

Ritchie Finishes Season At NCAA Championships

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Senior Timothy Ritchie ran to a 62nd place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships hosted by Indiana State on November 24. Ritchie ran the 10k in 30:34.9 and recorded the fourth-best time by an Atlantic Coast Conference runner in the event.

Ritchie improved on his performance from the Northeast Regional in which he notched a 31:44.0 to finish seventh overall.

Lundy Posts Strong Time at Nationals

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - University of Maryland sophomore Alex Lundy finished in 125th place among an elite field of more than 250 runners Monday at the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Championships hosted by Indiana State University.

Lundy, a native of Littleton, Colo., covered the 10-kilometer course in 31:04.9 to earn a spot in the middle of the pack. Lundy was the first Terrapin runner to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Nationals in recent memory.

Waggoner Represents Duke At NCAA Championships

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Duke sophomore Bo Waggoner finished right in the middle of the pack in a field of the country’s best cross country runners Monday afternoon, taking 135th of 252 harriers at the 2008 NCAA Cross Country Championships hosted by Indiana State University.

Waggoner covered the challenging 10K course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in 31:09.3.