Nov. 25, 2002

Chapel Hill, N.C. -- The University of North Carolina women's cross country team finished 21st at the NCAA Championship Monday afternoon, in Terre Haute, Ind. Junior Shalane Flanagan (Marblehead, Mass.) shattered the Gibson Course record of 19:55 with her time of 19:36 (6K) to earn Carolina's first ever individual national title in cross country. Flanagan won her second consecutive NCAA Cross Country Female Athlete of the Year award after winning the event.

"It's very exciting," said Flanagan. "You pump up a national championship as one of those things that is so difficult to win, and this year it wasn't as hard as I expected it to be.

"That's a tribute to how hard I've worked and the mental and physical toughness I've gained over the last year. It's a relief because it was expected of me to win it especially after last year, but I was very confident going into the championship."

"It was really exciting to see Shalane win the national title," said coach Michael Whittlesey. "The pressure was taken off of her early when she trailed for the first mile, mile-and-a-hal, but then gained the lead and never relinquished it.

"Seeing her finish at the end was a great thrill."

The Tar Heels battled tough weather conditions with high winds and a tempature of 30 degrees. BYU outpaced the rest of the 31 teams with its second straight national title.

"We had a difficult start today," said Whittlesey. "After the slow start, I thought the girls really competed the entire race and battled back at the end. I was proud of the way they kept working."

Senior Liz Awtrey (Burke, Va.) finished her last NCAA race in 194th place with a time of 22:02.5. Junior Jennie Sucher took 252nd place with a time of 23:43.5. Sophomores Erin Donohue (Haddonfield, N.J.) and Alice Schmidt (Omaha, Neb.) completed the race with times of 21:13.5 (91st) and 21:34.5 (140th), respectively. Freshmen Cassie King (Kernersville, N.C.) and Jessica Perry (Venetia, Pa.) competed for the Heels and finished 219th (22:15.2) and 213th (22:12.6).

Carolina finishes the season with one championship (Campbell Invite) and an individual national title. Flanagan's victory is her first in her two-and-a-half year career at Carolina. She earned All-America honors for the third straight season in cross country in 2002.

NCAA Women's Team Results>

NCAA Women's Individual Results>