Cross Country: Murto, Jura Earn WAC Honors
10/30/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Freshman Shannon Murto earned WAC Freshman of the Year and first-team all-WAC honors after placing fifth and leading the Owls to a second-place team finish at the championships. Murto's fifth-place finish was the best for a Rice freshman at a conference championship in the history of the program. The Rice women have won back-to-back Freshman of the Year awards with Tanya Wright taking the award last year.
Murto, a Spring native and Klein High School graduate, was the top finisher for the Owls in their last three meets after finishing second in the first two meets to teammate Katie Waite, who was lost for the season with an illness.
On the men's side, senior John Jura also earned first-team all-WAC honors for his fifth-place finish Saturday. Jura, a Springfield, Mo. native, was the Owls' top finisher in every meet this season and made the second-team all-WAC last year.
The Owls return to action at the district meets Nov. 11 in Denton, Texas.