Feb. 14, 2005

Former Tar Heel and two-time NCAA cross country champion Shalane Flanagan added another title to her list of accomplishments Sunday as she won her second consecutive USA Cross Country Championships at the 4K course at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash. With the win, Flanagan automatically qualifies for the U.S. team that will compete at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Blake Russell, another former standout at UNC, finished fourth and will also represent the U.S. on that team.

Flanagan's winning time of 13 minutes, 24 seconds, was three seconds better than runner-up Shayne Culpepper, the 2003 champion and a 2004 Olympian. Russell was fourth in 13:30. A third Tar Heel, Trish Nervo, was 10th in 13:58.

The World Cross Country Championships will be held March 19-20 in St. Galmier, France.