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Nationally Ranked Cavalier Men Finish Sixth at Pre-NCAAs
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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. The Virginia cross country teams completed the 2008 Pre-NCAA Invitational, a preview of the championship courses to come in November, on Saturday morning. Eighty-one men’s teams and 80 women’s teams split into four races based on national rankings to compete, with Virginia’s men’s team claiming sixth-place in the Men’s 8K White Race, while the women finished 23rd in the Women’s 6K White Race. Third-year Stephanie Garcia was the top Cavalier finisher, taking 17th overall, while second-year Ryan Collins led the No. 12 men’s squad to upsets over No. 3 Colorado and No. 11 Iowa State.
The Cavalier men, running a tight race together, crossed all five scorers within 30 seconds of each other to take sixth overall with 205 points. Collins (Mansfield, Mass.) was the first runner across the line for Virginia, completing the course in 24:00.9 to take 23rd. Fifth-year Ryan Foster (Stephens City, Va.) was next, finishing 32nd in 24:13.7 and fourth-year Andy Biladeau (Lutz, Fla.) was 38th in 24:17.9. Fourth-year Kevin Tschirhart (Northport, N.Y.) finished 55th with a time of 24:27.9 and third-year Graham Tribble (Columbia, S.C.) was 57th in 24:29.7.
No. 10 Stanford won the race with 77 points, claiming two of the top four spots, followed by No. 7 Iona, with 123 points. Liberty’s Samuel Chelanga won the individual title in 22:51.3. In the Men’s Blue Race, No. 6 Alabama claimed first with 89 points and No. 16 Northern Arizona was second with 113 points.
The women, running without All-American Katie Read, finished 23rd overall with 596 points. Garcia (South Riding, Va.) was the first Cavalier across the line, claiming 18th in 20:50.2, while first-year Morgane Gay (Bethesda, Md.) followed Garcia, finishing in 21:31.1 to take 62nd. Third-year Samantha Stafford (Charlottesville, Va.) finished 164th in 22:26.7 and following closely behind, fourth-year Susan Brooks (Burke, Va.) crossed in 22:34.8 for 176th. Second-year Lyndsay Harper (Albuquerque, N.M.) rounded out the scoring Cavaliers, taking 190th in a time out 22:43.8.
Florida State’s Susan Kuijken ran away with the individual title, breaking the course record with a time of 19:48.2, over 30 seconds faster than the second-place finisher, to lead the Seminole women to a portion of the team title. Both No. 5 Princeton and No. 3 Florida State had a low score of 89, while No. 11 Michigan took second with 168 points. Top-ranked Washington won the Blue Race with 36 points, followed by No. 13 Villanova with 126 points.
Five Cavaliers took part in the open races, led by third-year Steve Finley (Palatine, Ill.), logging a time of 24:57.4 for a ninth-place finish. Chris Clark finished 44nd in 25:40.3, while first-year Anna Corrigan (Burke, Va.) finished the women’s course in 22:34.7. Third-year Erin Klein (Burke, Va.) crossed in 22:43.0 and first-year Laurel MacMillan (Blacksburg, Va.) rounded out the Cavaliers racing, finishing in 22:53.1.
Virginia will take next weekend off before heading to North Carolina for the ACC Championships on Saturday, Nov. 1. Races are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
Men’s Individual Results
Sixth with 205 points
23. Ryan Collins (24:00.9)
32. Ryan Foster (24:13.7)
38. Andy Biladeau (24:17.9)
55. Kevin Tschirhart (24:27.9)
57. Graham Tribble (24:29.7)
93. Andrew Jesien (24:51.1)
122. Emil Heineking (25:04.4)
Men Open
9. Steve Finley (24:57.4)
44. Chris Clark (25:40.3)
Women’s Individual Results
23rd with 596 points
18. Stephanie Garcia (20:50.2)
64. Morgane Gay (21:31.1)
164. Samantha Stafford (22:26.7)
176. Susan Brooks (22:34.8)
190. Lyndsay Harper (22:43.8)
221. Sara Casscells (23:10.7)
Lauretta Dezubay DNF
Women Open
41. Anna Corrigan (22:34.7)
50. Erin Klein (22:43.0)
62. Laurel MacMillan (22:53.1)