Cross Country: Men Third, Women Seventh at Regional
11/13/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
The top two teams and top four individuals from each regional automatically qualify for the NCAA championships Nov. 22 in Bloomington, Ind.
Arkansas and Texas A&M both finished ahead of Rice to earn the automatic bids from the regional, but Rice could still earn an at-large bid on Monday. Thirteen at-large bids will be extended by the NCAA selection committee.
Junior Lachlan McArthur finished the 10K course eighth in the 103-person field. He finished in a time of 31:17. As one of the top four competitors for a team other than Arkansas or Texas A&M, he has a guaranteed spot in the NCAA championships.
The third-place finish was the best finish at the district/regional level for Rice since 1987 when current cross country coach Jon Warren, then a member of the team, guided the Owls to a second-place finish and a berth in the NCAA meet.
"We were very pleased with the way we ran today," Warren said. "We had a chance to finish second and qualify, but A&M ran remarkably well. Now we have to wait to see if the team will get an at-large bid."
Arkansas and Texas advanced out of the women's race in the team division.
Rice senior Shaquandra Roberson led the Owls on the 5K course in a time of 17:48, which was good enough for 12th (of 102). After falling ill at the WAC Championships two weeks ago in Fresno, Calif., she was still not 100 percent for the regional.
In addition to Roberson's illness, freshmen Tanya Wright and Summer Bell were also hampered by illness. The pair finished third and fourth in the Owls' win of the WAC Championship two weeks ago, but finished fifth and seventh for Rice on Saturday.
"The illnesses obviously played a part in how we ran today," said women's cross country coach Jim Bevan. "I think we could have only finished a place or two better with a healthy team because this is a tough district."
With Roberson's 12th place finish, the Owls will have to wait to see if the third-place team (Baylor) will get an at-large bid. Should the Bears advance to the NCAA meet, Roberson would then get an at-large spot as an individual.
