Owls Set Defend C-USA Title
10/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Oct. 30, 2008
• Official Championship Web Site
The Rice women's cross country team defends its title this Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Conference USA Cross Country Championship in Memphis, Tenn. Action takes place at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex with the women's 5000 meter race starting at 10 a.m. and the men's 8000 meter race beginning at 11:00 a.m.
For the third time in league history, the University of Memphis will play host to the one-day event with free admission to those who would like to join.
The course circles the complex and then heads toward the back part of the stadium. The athletes will enter the backside of the main soccer stadium, and circle the field before finishing in front of the bleachers.
In 2007, Rice, then ranked No. 16 in the nation, finished 3-4-5-6-8 to win its second Conference USA cross country title in three years by breaking the league scoring record with 26 points. It was the first of three championships captured by the Owls' in 2007-08 as Rice's women's track and field teams won the C-USA indoor and outdoor championship titles. As a matter of fact, the worse that the Owls have finished in a conference meet since 1999 is third. In C-USA meets, Rice has dominated with two championships (2007 and 2005) and a second place finish (2006).
The Owls have six experienced runners returning from last year's title-winning team in the 2008 race in Allison Pye, Becky Wade, Nicole Mericle, Lennie Waite, Claire Shorall, and Britany Williams. Also competing are Keltie John, Marie Thompson, and Michaela Reynolds.
2007 C-USA Results
Rice Finishers
3. Marissa Daniels, 17:50.3
4. Allison Pye, 18:07.0
5. Becky Wade, 18:20.1
6. Callie Wells, 18:22.2
8. Nicole Mericle, 18:26.5
10. Lennie Waite, 18:46.6
22. Britany Williams, 19:12.6
42. Frances Kellerman, 20:05.9
51. Claire Shorall, 20:43.1
2007 C-USA Team Finishes
1. Rice, 26
2. Tulsa, 54
3. SMU, 105
4. UAB, 118
5. UTEP, 124
6. Tulane, 152
7. UCF, 196
8. East Carolina, 214
9. Memphis, 267
10. Marshall, 274
11. Houston 280
12. Southern Miss, 302
Rice at Conference Cross Country Meets
2007 C-USA 1st/12
2006 C-USA 2nd/12
2005 C-USA 1st/11
2004 WAC 2nd/9 Kate Gorry (first)
2003 WAC 3rd/9
2002 WAC 1st/10
2001 WAC 2nd/10
2000 WAC 2nd/9
1999 WAC 1st/8
1998 WAC 8th/16
1997 WAC 3rd/16
1996 WAC 8th/16
1995 SWC 3rd/8
1994 SWC 1st/8
1993 SWC 2nd/8
1992 SWC 2nd/8
1991 SWC 5th/8
1990 SWC 3rd/9
1989 SWC 4th/9
1988 SWC 3RD/9
1987 SWC 3RD/7
1986 SWC 4TH/9
1985 SWC 4TH/9
1984 SWC 4TH/8
Women's Race Preview provided by Conference USA
The weekly U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association polls have showcased C-USA programs in both the regional and national rankings. Rice women have remained in the national rankings all season, finishing the regular season at No. 20. Joining the Owls in the last three regular season polls is SMU who filled the No. 26 slot after taking third-place honors at the Chile Pepper Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.
Tulsa women take a stand at No. 6 in the Midwest Region, while the South Region sees UAB at No. 6 and UCF at No. 11. Rounding out the women's rankings are Houston and Tulane who hold the No. 8 and No. 11 spots, respectively, in the South Central Region.
On the women's side, Rice has three front-runners this year in Allison Pye, Lennie Waite, and junior Nicole Mericle. The depth of runners will be an asset to the Owls as they seek a second straight title.
Battling against the Owls for the C-USA championship women's title will be a strong group of teams who have proven their strengths throughout the season. Becker, has led the way for the Golden Hurricane. Her third-place finish at the Notre Dame Invitational helped her team maintain a top-15 finish and earned her C-USA Athlete of the Week honors.
Stephanie Gammon and UAB will also be a strong contender for the title. Gammon took back-to-back C-USA Athlete of the Week honors after setting a personal-best time of 14:41.55 in the 4K Belmont Opener and clocking 18:39.04 in the 5K at the Brooks Memphis Twilight. The Blazers have not placed lower than third at any meet.
Returning for SMU this season was 2007 C-USA Freshman and Newcomer of the Year, Silje Fjortoft. Fjortoft earned a pair of C-USA Athlete of the Week honors after helping the Mustangs to four top-10 finishes. The sophomore also took first-place accolades at the Texas A&M Invitational after running the 5,000 meter-course in 16:33.03. A 2006 All-American honoree and C-USA Cross Country Female Athlete of the Year, Rachel Forish, red-shirted the 2007 season due to an injury, but has laced up her running shoes and returned in 2008. The senior will attempt to help her teammates win SMU's first team title since joining the league.
Rounding out the women's top performers is a new face to the collegiate scene. Houston's Stephanie Aldea jumped right into the collegiate atmosphere earning three C-USA Athlete of the Week honors and leading the Cougars to four first-place finishes. Among Aldea's successes was a first-place clocking at the 6K LSU Tiger Festival and second-place honors at the Disney World Cross Country Classic.
Players Mentioned
