Owls Head to NCAA Cross Country Championships
11/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Nov. 20, 2005
Houston -
Rice's women's cross country team will make its first nationals appearance since 1993 at the NCAA championships in Terre Haute, Ind., Monday. The Owls placed third at the NCAA south central regional at Waco Nov. 12 to earn an at-large berth in the national meet.
"We are so excited to be back as a team at the NCAA meet," said head coach Jim Bevan, who has guided three Rice teams to the nationals. "It was a huge honor to win the Conference USA title in our first year in the league, and this trip to nationals is just another step up the ladder."
Senior Kate Gorry and sophomore Marissa Daniels are the leading runners for the 25th-ranked Owls, and both will be making a second trip to the national championships. Gorry qualified as an individual in 2003, while Daniels went last year as an individual.
Daniels was third at the south central regional and will be looking to improve on her 53rd-place finish at nationals as a freshman. "Marissa has improved markedly," Bevan said. "If she maintains the level of performance she showed at regionals, she should be challenging for all-America honors."
Gorry will also be in the hunt for all-America recognition after placing sixth at the regional meet. "If Kate can run her own race and perform like she did at conference, she will be a top-40 finisher," Bevan said. Gorry was second individually at the C-USA championships in Orlando, Fla., Oct. 29 to lead the Owls to the team title.
Also competing for Rice will be Callie Wells, who was 16th at the regionals and third at the C-USA meet, Sarah Yoder, Anna Reeve, Lea Garcia and Laura Kelley.
The women's NCAA championship race, with 31 teams, is contested over six-kilometers and is scheduled for 12:15 Monday on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute. Results will be available at www.ncaasports.com.
Players Mentioned
