USTFCCCA Division I Cross Country Regional Award Winners for 2010 Released
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Wednesday the winners of USTFCCCA Region Athletes and Coaches of the Year honors for the 2010 cross country season in Division I as voted by the division’s coaches.
Indiana State will host the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships on Monday at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind. The women’s race will begin at approximately 12:08 p.m. Eastern, followed by the men’s race at approximately 12:48 p.m.
A live webcast of the championships will be broadcast from noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern time, Monday, November 22, on NCAA.com. In addition, highlights from the championships will be included as part of the CBS NCAA Fall Seasonal Show scheduled to air on Saturday, December 18 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on CBS HD.
USTFCCCA Division I Cross Country Region Athletes and Coaches of the Year
Men’s Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Eric Finan, Cincinnati
Finan, a junior from New Richmond, Ohio won the NCAA Great Lakes Region by three seconds in emerging from a 15-runner pack to sprint to the finish. He was seventh earlier this fall in the Big East Championships and 13th at the Pre-National Invitational.
Recent Winners:
2009: Jeff See, Ohio State
2008: Patrick Smyth, Notre Dame
2007: Patrick Smyth, Notre Dame
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Ayalew Taye, Georgetown
A senior from Portland, Maine, Taye won a tight race in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region over Penn State’s Kyle Dawson. Taye was fifth in the Big East Championships and 14th at the Pre-National Invitational earlier this fall.
Recent Winners:
2009: Andrew Bumbalough, Georgetwon
2008: Andrew Bumbalough, Georgetown
2007: Bobby Curtis, Villanova
MIDWEST REGION – Colby Lowe, Oklahoma State
Lowe, a junior from Southlake, Texas, won the NCAA Midwest Regional in the final stretch with a kick that caught Oklahoma’s Kevin Schwab by just four-hundredths of a second. The Cowboy was third at the Big 12 Championships, recording his third-straight, top-five league finish of his career and was the winner of this fall’s Chile Pepper Festival.
Recent Winners:
2009: Hassan Mead, Minnesota
2008: Hassan Mead, Minnesota
2007: Trent Hoerr, Illinois
MOUNTAIN REGION – David McNeill, Northern Arizona
McNeill, the storied senior from Melbourne, Australia, won his third-straight NCAA Mountain Region title with a six-second victory over BYU’s Miles Batty. He is the first to win three-straight titles in the region since 1978. McNeill recorded his third-straight Big Sky Conference title earlier this fall, leading the Lumberjacks to their fourth-straight league title.
Recent Winners:
2009: David McNeill, Northern Arizona
2008: David McNeill, Northern Arizona
2007: Lopez Lomong, Northern Arizona
NORTHEAST REGION – Leonard Korir, Iona
A junior from Iten, Kenya, Korir was the champ of the NCAA Northeast Region with an 11-second victory over Providence’s Lee Carey. Korir is the third-straight Iona runner to win the Northeast title. Earlier in the fall, he won the MAAC title and was ninth at the Pre-National meet.
Recent Winners:
2009: Ryan Sheridan, Iona
2008: Mohamed Khadraoui, Iona
2007: Max Smith, Providence
SOUTH REGION – Ciaran O’Lionaird, Florida State
O’Lionaird, a senior from Cork, Ireland, won the NCAA South Regional by more than two seconds over Alabama’s Carrison Kemei. At this fall’s ACC Championships, the Seminole placed fourth.
Recent Winners:
2009: Felix Kibioywo, Auburn
2008: Felix Kiboiywo, Aubunr
2007: Felix Kiboiywo, Auburn
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Festus Kigen, TCU
A senior from Eldoret, Kenya, Kigen won the NCAA South Central Regional by two seconds over Arkansas’ Solomon Haile. The Horned Frog finsihed 12th earlier this fall at the Mountain West Championships.
Recent Winners:
2009: Dorian Ulrey, Arkansas
2008: Shadrack Songok, Texas A&M
2007: Shadrack Songok, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SOUTHEAST REGION – Sam Chelanga, Liberty
Chelanga, from Nairobi, Kenya, won his third-straight NCAA Southeast Region crown in his season. Leading from the gun, Chelanga smashed the regional field to win by more than 15 seconds. Included in his undefeated record this season is a third-straight Big South title and a second-career victory at the Pre-National Invitational.
Recent Winners:
2009: Sam Chelanga, Liberty
2008: Sam Chelanga, Liberty
2007: Josh McDougal, Liberty
WEST REGION – Trevor Dunbar, Portland
Dunbar, a sophomore from Kodiak, Alaska, won a photo finish run for the NCAA West Region title over Arizona’s Stephen Sambu. Earlier this fall, he placed fourth at the Pre-National Invitational.
Recent Winners:
2009: Chris Derrick, Stanford
2008: Galen Rupp, Oregon
2007: Galen Rupp, Oregon
Men’s Coach of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Mick Byrne, Wisconsin
Bryne’s Badgers were dominant in winning their eighth-straight NCAA Great Lakes regional crown, scoring a 32-76 victory over nearest challenger Indiana. Wisconsin placed five in the top ten in the region to carry their 26th all-time region title. The Badgers won their 12th-straight Big Ten crown earlier this fall and was runners-up at Oregon’s Bill Dellinger Invitational and their home adidas Invitational. Byrne, in his third season, has the fourth nationally-ranked team heading into the NCAA Championships.
Recent Winners:
2009: John McNichols, Indiana State
2008: Mick Byrne, Wisconsin
2007: Ron Warhurst, Michigan
Harry Groves Award
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Steve Dolan, Princeton
Dolan’s Tigers captured the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional crown with an eight-point win over Villanova. Improving from sixth a year ago, Princeton placed three in the race’s top 10 for the title. In his eighth season, Dolan’s squad won the Ivy League’s Heptagonal title and was fifth at the Pre-National blue race earlier the fall. Princeton is ranked 17th in the nation.
Recent Winners:
2009: Patrick Henner, Georgetown
2008: Patrick Henner, Georgetown
2007: Patrick Henner, Georgetown
Roy Griak Award
MIDWEST REGION – Martin Smith, Oklahoma
The Sooners, led by sixth-year coach Smith, won their first NCAA Midwest Regional title in school history with a 43-50 victory over No. 1 Oklahoma State. Oklahoma placed three in the top ten and five in the top 15 to claim the title. The sixth-ranked squad was third at the Big 12 Championships and won the white-division race at the Pre-National Invitational earlier this fall.
Recent Winners:
2009: Dave Smith, Oklahoma State
2008: Dave Smith, Oklahoma State
2007: Dave Smith, Oklahoma State
Chick Hislop Award
MOUNTAIN REGION – Joe Franklin, New Mexico
In his third year, Joe Franklin’s Lobos won the NCAA Mountain Regional for the first time in school history by placing four runners in the race’s top seven and claiming a 21-point tally over Colorado. The fifth-ranked New Mexico team won their second-straight Mountain West title earlier this fall and was the runners-up at the Notre Dame Invitational (blue race) and third at the Griak Invitational (gold race).
Recent Winners:
2009: Ed Eyestone, BYU
2008: Mark Wetmore, Colorado
2007: Mark Wetmore, Colorado
NORTHEAST REGION – Chris Fox, Syracuse
Fox’s Orange won the NCAA Northeast Region crown for the second-straight year with a 56-63 victory over Iona. Syracuse placed five runners in the region’s top 15. In addition, the 10th-ranked team won the Big East Championships and the Penn State National.
Recent Winners:
2009: Chris Fox, Syracuse
2008: Ricardo Santos, Iona
2007: Mick Byrne, Iona
Dave Walker Award
SOUTH REGION – Joe Walker, Alabama
Walker, in his 10th season at Alabama, won his fourth-straight Region Coach of the Year title to go with the Crimson Tide’s fourth-straight NCAA South Region crown. In this year’s race, Alabama placed three in the top five and five in the top 15 for the 30-55 victory over Florida State. The squad, ranked 12th nationally, was runner-up at the SEC Championships earlier in the year.
Recent Winners:
2009: Joe Walker, Alabama
2008: Joe Walker, Alabama
2007: Joe Walker, Alabama
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Chris Bucknam, Arkansas
Bucknam’s Razorbacks brought home the team’s third-straight NCAA South Central Region title with a 30-66 win over Texas. Arkansas placed three runners in the region’s top five and four in the top ten for the school’s 31st overall regional title. In his third season, Bucknam’s team won their 18th overall SEC title and is No. 9 in the country heading into the national meet.
Recent Winners:
2009: Chris Bucknam, Arkansas
2008: Dan Waters, Texas A&M
2007: John McDonnell, Arkansas
SOUTHEAST REGION – Stephen Walsh, William and Mary
First year coach Stephen Walsh led the Tribe to their third-straight NCAA Southeast Region crown with a 21-point victory over Duke. Despite scoring no runners in the top ten, W&M placed their scoring five in the top 25 for the region crown. The 16th-ranked squad won their 11th-straight CAA title earlier this fall and was sixth in the blue race at the Pre-National Invitational.
Recent Winners:
2009: Alex Gibby, William and Mary
2008: Alex Gibby, William and Mary
2007: Rollie Geiger, NC State
WEST REGION – Jason Dunn, Stanford
Dunn, coach of the top-ranked Stanford Cardinal, has a squad that won the Pac-10 Championship title and finished first at the Pre-National Invitational’s blue race by sweeping the top three spots at both races. Stanford was second in the NCAA West Region to Stanford by two points. Dunn is in his third year at Stanford.
Recent Winners:
2009: Jason Dunn, Stanford
2008: Vin Lananna, Oregon
2007: Rob Conner, Portland
Women’s Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Emily MacLeod, Michigan State
MacLeod, a redshirt senior from Loveland, Ohio, won the NCAA Great Lakes Regional by seven seconds over Michigan’s Emily Sisson for her second-straight regional crown. MacLeod is the first in Michigan State history to win back-to-back regional titles. The Spartan also won the Big Ten title, clocking a career-best 6k time of 19:53.8.
Recent Winners:
2009: Emily MacLeod, Michigan State
2008: Nicole Bush, Michigan State
2007: Nicole Edwards, Michigan
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Sheila Reid, Villanova
The senior from Newmarket, Ontario, was impressive in scoring a 16-second victory and running a 19:34 6k in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. It was her second-consecutive regional crown. Reid also won titles this year at the Big East Championships and the Penn State National.
Recent Winners:
2009: Sheila Reid, Villanova
2008: Francis Koons, Villanova
2007: Melissa Grelli, Georgetown
MIDWEST REGION – Stephanie Price, Minnesota
A junior from Mankato, Minn., Price won the NCAA Midwest Regional crown with a final lean to top Iowa State’s Betsy Saina by six hundredths of a second. Price was second at the Big Ten Championships and sixth at the Pre-National Invitational earlier this fall.
Recent Winners:
2009: Angela Bizzarri, Illinois
2008: Racheal Marchand, Iowa
2007: Diane Nukuri, Iowa
MOUNTAIN REGION – Risper Kimaiyo, UTEP
Kimaiyo, a sophomore from Iten, Kenya, won the NCAA Mountain Regional by nine seconds over Texas Tech’s Rose Tauni to become the first from UTEP to win a regional crown. Kimaiyo was the Conference USA champ for the second-straight year and won this year’s Pre-National Invitational blue race.
Recent Winners:
2009: Jenny Barringer, Colorado
2008: Sally Kipyego, Texas Tech
2007: Sally Kipyego, Texas Tech
NORTHEAST REGION – Lucy Van Dalen, Stony Brook
Van Dalen, a senior from Wanganui, New Zealand, won the NCAA Northeast Regional over her twin sister, Holly, by over three seconds. Van Dalen has been undefeated in 2010, claiming titles at the America East Championships, Pre-National Invitational, and Notre Dame Invitational.
Recent Winners:
2009: Katie Hursey, Syracuse
2008: Danette Doetzel, Providence
2007: Danette Doetzel, Providence
SOUTH REGION – Kristie Krueger, Georgia
The junior from Argyle, Texas, won the NCAA South Region title by over two seconds over Florida State’s Pasca Cheruiyot. Krueger also became the second in Georgia history to win the SEC Cross Country Championship crown earlier this fall.
Recent Winners:
2009: Rebecca Lowe, Florida
2008: Hollie Knight, Auburn
2007: Susan Kuijken, Florida State
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Nicole Mericle, Rice
Mericle, a senior from Houston, Texas, won the NCAA South Central Regional by four seconds to become a two-time regional champion. Mericle finished eighth at the year’s Conference USA Championships.
Recent Winners:
2009: Silje Fjortoft, SMU
2008: Nicole Mericle, Rice
2007: Silje Fjortoft, SMU
SOUTHEAST REGION – Laura Hoer, NC State
A freshman from Arden, N.C., Hoer won the NCAA Southeast Regional over North Carolina’s Kendra Schaaf by eight seconds. Having recorded four wins this season, Hoer won the ACC crown and was fourth at the Pre-National Invitational.
Recent Winners:
2009: Catherine White, Virginia
2008: Tasmin Fanning, Virginia Tech
2007: Brianna Felnagle, North Carolina
WEST REGION – Jordan Hasay, Oregon
Hasay, a sophomore from Arroyo Grande, Calif., won the NCAA West Regional over Cal’s Deborah Maier by five seconds. Hasay also claimed the Pac-10 individual title and was seventh at the Notre Dame Invitational earlier in the season.
Recent Winners:
2009: Kendra Schaaf, Washington
2008: Alex Kosinski, Oregon
2007: Teresa McWalters, Stanford
Women’s Coach of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Walt Drenth, Michigan State
Drenth’s Spartans won the NCAA Great Lakes Regional with an 80-96 victory over Michigan, their first since taking titles in 2006 and 2007. Michigan State placed three in the race’s top 11 at the regional meet. Drenth’s crew, ranked 16th nationally, won their third ever Big Ten title earlier in the season and finished sixth at the Pre-National Invitational. Drenth is in his 16th season at Michigan State.
Recent Winners:
2009: Tim Connelly, Notre Dame
2008: Mike McGuire, Michigan
2007: Rita Arndt-Molis, Michigan State
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Gina Procaccio, Villanova
Procaccio’s Wildcasts won their second-straight NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region crown with a hard-fought, 29-40 victory over Georgetown. Including having the regional winner, Villanova notched four in the top six of the race to stay undefeated for the season. Along with a Big East crown, Villanova, the nation’s No. 1 team, won titles at the Penn State National and Notre Dame Invitational. Procaccio is in her 11th season at Villanova.
Recent Winners:
2009: Gina Procaccio, Villanova
2008: Sean Cleary, West Virginia
2007: Sean Cleary, West Virginia
MIDWEST REGION – Corey Ihmels, Iowa State
Ihmels’ Cyclones won the NCAA Midwest Region by a 70-point margin over nearest challenger Oklahoma State. Placing four in the race’s top ten, Iowa State notched just 35 points for the crown. Earlier in the season, the Cyclones recorded third-place finishes at the Big 12 Championships, Pre-National Invitational, and the Roy Griak Invitational. Ihmels, in his fourth year at ISU, has the No. 12 squad in the country.
Recent Winners:
2009: Gary Wilson, Minnesota
2008: Gary Wilson, Minnesota
2007: Gary Wilson, Minnesota
MOUNTAIN REGION – Joe Franklin, New Mexico
Franklin’s Lady Lobos won the NCAA Mountain Regional, 53-55, over Texas Tech after placing three in the top six and five in the race’s top 20. Earlier in the season, the fifth-ranked squad won their second-straight Mountain West Championship and finished fourth at the Notre Dame Invitational and second at the Roy Griak Invitational.
Recent Winners:
2009: Mark Wetmore, Colorado
2008: Jon Murray, Texas Tech
2007: Bryan Berryhill, Colorado State
NORTHEAST REGION – Andy Ronan, Stony Brook
Ronan’s Seawolves were the runners-up at the NCAA Northeast Regional, placing four runners in the top ten to come within five points of Syracuse. Stony Brook, ranked 11th nationally, won their fourth-straight America East title this fall and finished fourth at the Pre-National Invitational.
Recent Winners:
2009: Chris Fox, Syracuse
2008: Ray Treacy, Providence
2007: Andy Ronan, Stony Brook
SOUTH REGION – Karen Harvey, Florida State
The Seminoles, led by third-year coach Harvey, won their third NCAA South Region title in four years with a 24-67 decision over Florida. Florida State placed all seven runners in the region’s top 20. FSU, ranked No. 2 nationally, won their fourth-straight ACC crown this season and placed first in the blue race at the Pre-National Invitational.
Recent Winners:
2009: Todd Morgan, Florida
2008: Karen Harvey, Florida State
2007: Karen Harvey, Florida State
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Steve Sisson, Texas
Sisson’s Longhorns won 46-71 over Rice for the NCAA South Central Regional title. UT had four runners in the regional top ten for the victory. Texas, ranked 24th nationally, was fifth at the Big 12 Championships and in the blue race at the Pre-National Invitational earlier this fall. Sisson is in his fifth season with Texas.
Recent Winners:
2009: Cathy Casey, SMU
2008: Lance Harter, Arkansas
2007: Jim Bevan, Rice
SOUTHEAST REGION – Jason Vigilante, Virginia
Vigilante’s Cavaliers won the NCAA Southeast Regional by placing three in the top ten for a 65-100 nod over North Carolina. It was Virginia’s second title in a three-year span. Earlier in the season, Virginia was second at the ACC Championships. Vigilante, in his third season at UVa, has a squad ranked No. 13 in the country.
Recent Winners:
2009: Kevin Jermyn, Duke
2008: Jason Vigilante, Virginia
2007: Laurie Henes, NC State
WEST REGION – Greg Metcalf, Washington
Metcalf’s Huskies won their third-straight NCAA West Region title with a 73-77 victory over Oregon. UW had two runners in the race’s top ten and all five scorers in the top 25. Washington, ranked fourth nationally, finished third in the Pac-10 Championships earlier this fall. Metcalf is in his ninth season at Washington.
Recent Winners:
2009: Greg Metcalf, Washington
2008: Greg Metcalf, Washington
2007: Peter Tegen, Stanford