October 27th, 2001

Oakland University Cross Country Men &
Women Runners-Up at Mid-Con Championships
Oakland's Rice Named Coach of The Year

Cedar City, Utah

courtesy: Oakland University Sports Information
contact: Amy Stabley Hirschman

The Southern Utah men's and women's cross country teams were both predicted to continue their dominance in the Mid-Continent Conference at the beginning of this season, with both being the top choice in the preseason coaches poll. Those prognosticators turned out to be right on target, as both teams captured their respective conference championships on Saturday afternoon at Cedar Ridge Golf Course in Cedar City, Utah. The men captured their fifth crown in as many years since joining the league, while the women garnered their fourth title in a row. Oakland and IUPUI finished second and third, respectively, in both the men's and women's races.

The Thunderbird men placed four runners among the top nine finishers to secure the win, led by Seth Thompson (26:04.60), who took home a second-place finish with his season-best 8-kilometer effort. Abdul Majeed Abudu (26:30.10) and J.D. Neilson (27:04.00) both joined Thompson on the all-conference first team, with fourth- and seventh-place finishes, respectively.

Thompson finished just four-tenths of a second behind Mid-Con Athlete of the Year Omar Brooks of Oral Roberts, who crossed the line in 26:04.20 to become the Golden Eagles' first-ever individual champion at the Mid-Con meet.

Brooks' effort snapped a four-year streak of Southern Utah runners winning Athlete of the Year honors. Other members of the all-conference first team included Valparaiso's Aaron Crague (26:22.10), who earned first-team all-conference honors for the third straight season, as well as Oakland's Jason Bruscha (26:37.8) and IUPUI's Matt Schmitt (26:58.50). Neilson, who was just deemed eligible by the NCAA Clearinghouse on Friday, was honored as the Mid-Con Newcomer of the Year, the first Southern Utah men's runner to ever earn that honor.

In addition, Oakland head coach Paul Rice was named as the Mid-Con Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year, snapping a four-year run by Southern Utah head coach Eric Houle. It's not like Houle went home empty-handed, though. His women's team posted the second-lowest team score in Mid-Con Women's Cross Country Championship history, and posted the widest win margin (63) in league history as well.

Mid-Con Athlete of the Year Jandee Anderson led the charge, breaking the tape of the 6-kilometer race in a season-best time of 22:27.60. Anderson's first-place finish made her one of Southern Utah's seven all-conference honorees. Robyn Adams (22:47.30), Natalie Quilter (22:59.40) and Maegan Schmutz (23:20.30), who finished third, fourth and sixth, all joined Anderson on the All Mid-Con first team.

Oakland's Kristie Kieffer (22:39.90), IUPUI's Lyndsey Emerson (23:08.40 and UMKC's Natalie Myers (23:25.80) joined the Southern Utah quartet on the all-conference first team. Adams and Kieffer both earned first-team All Mid-Con honors for the third time. Anderson became the second Thunderbird runner to win Mid-Con Athlete of the Year honors, and earned first-team all-conference honors for the second straight season.

Schmutz is the third Southern Utah athlete to win Mid-Con Newcomer of the Year honors on the women's side, and Houle was named Mid-Con Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year for the third time in five seasons.

results:

All-Conference Teams

  Men

  First Team

  Abdul Majeed Abudu, Southern Utah

  Omar Brooks, Oral Roberts

  Jason Bruscha, Oakland

  Aaron Crague, Valparaiso

  J.D. Neilson, Southern Utah

  Matt Schmitt, IUPUI

  Seth Thompson, Southern Utah

  Second Team

  Adam Frezza, Oakland

  Bill Hibdon, UMKC

  Jon Kelley, UMKC

  Cory Jeffers, Southern Utah

  Paul Kulisek, Oakland

  Cody Moat, Southern Utah

  Rajiv Maina Nyambura, Oral Roberts

  Athlete of the Year

  Omar Brooks, Oral Roberts

  Newcomer of the Year

  J.D. Neilson, Southern Utah

  Coach of the Year

  Paul Rice, Oakland

  Women

  First Team

  Robyn Adams, Southern Utah

  Jandee Anderson, Southern Utah

  Lyndsey Emerson, IUPUI

  Kristie Kieffer, Oakland

  Natalie Myers, UMKC

  Natalie Quilter, Southern Utah

  Maegan Schmutz, Southern Utah

  Second Team

  Alisha Benzanson, Southern Utah

  Deidre Emerson, Oral Roberts

  Melissa Nasers, Oakland

  Kelly Richards, Southern Utah

  Kira Thompson, Southern Utah

  Miley Turnbull, Oral Roberts

  Carrie Waterman, Valparaiso

  Athlete of the Year

  Jandee Anderson, Southern Utah

  Newcomer of the Year

  Maegan Schmutz, Southern Utah

  Coach of the Year

  Eric Houle, Southern Utah

  Men's Team Results

  Team Score

  1. Southern Utah 35

  2. Oakland 60

  3. IUPUI 102

  4. UMKC 113

  5. Valparaiso 126

  6. Oral Roberts 127

  7. Western Illinois 141

  8. Chicago State 193

  Men's Individual Results (8,000 meters)

  No. Name, School Time

  1. Omar Brooks, Oral Roberts 26:04.2

  2. Seth Thompson, Southern Utah 26:04.6

  3. Aaron Crague, Valparaiso 26:22.1

  4. Abdul Majeed Abudu, Southern Utah 26:30.1

  5. Jason Bruscha, Oakland 26:37.8

  6. Matt Schmitt, IUPUI 26:58.5

  7. J.D. Neilson, Southern Utah 27:04.0

  8. Adam Frezza, Oakland 27:13.0

  9. Cody Moat, Southern Utah 27:16.2

  10. Bill Hibdon, UMKC 27:17.5

  11. Rajiv Maina Nyambura, Oral Roberts 27:18.1

  12. Jon Kelley, UMKC 27:20.5

  13. Cory Jeffers, Southern Utah 27:23.9

  14. Paul Kulisek, Oakland 27:40.5

  15. Jeremy Tolan, IUPUI 27:41.4

  16. Luke Williams, Oakland 27:45.4

  17. Pat Klein, Oakland 27:48.4

  18. Kurt Brinker, Oakland 27:52.3

  19. Jeremy Wilson, UMKC 27:53.1

  20. Russell Simon, IUPUI 27:55.7

  21. Matt Blume, Valparaiso 28:07.7

  22. Brandon Fisk, Oakland 28:12.4

  23. Zach Somers, Western Illinois 28:23.9

  24. Doug Brown, Valparaiso 28:27.6

  25. Garrett Kellogg, Chicago State 28:29.2

  26. Peter Breit, Western Illinois 28:33.3

  27. David Comiskey, Chicago State 28:35.2

  28. John Cook, Oakland 28:36.0

  29. Josh Lantz, IUPUI 28:36.6

  30. Scott Bush, Western Illinois 28:39.7

  31. Jon Harman, UMKC 28:43.3

  32. Greg Armich, Western Illinois 28:47.1

  33. Pete Maag, Western Illinois 28:47.4

  34. Ryan Hopper, IUPUI 28:51.7

  35. Jason Murdock, IUPUI 28:52.0

  36. Scott Nelson, Oral Roberts 28:52.3

  37. Mike Williams, Oral Roberts 28:55.0

  38. Adam Piaskowy, Valparaiso 28:57.3

  39. Kevin Donovan, Oakland 28:57.5

  40. John LaBranche, Chicago State 29:04.6

  41. Lance Reinbolz, Western Illinois 29:10.5

  42. Jared Bailey, Southern Utah 29:18.5

  43. Rick Wenger, Valparaiso 29:21.3

  44. Andy Koziatek, UMKC 29:22.3

  45. Scott Fulton, Western Illinois 29:27.5

  46. Jeff Crawford, Oral Roberts 29:43.5

  47. Philip West, Oral Roberts 29:45.7

  48. Brad Parker, Southern Utah 29:46.8

  49. Mark Landmeier, Valparaiso 29:59.0

  50. Aaron Barton, UMKC 30:04.3

  51. Bill Ramsey, Western Illinois 30:21.7

  52. Nate Dinges, IUPUI 30:29.9

  53. Joe Yarbrough, Valparaiso 30:33.8

  54. Guillaume Kellogg, Chicago State 31:07.9

  55. Nick Galac, Valparaiso 31:21.6

  56. Jonathon Pebelske, Chicago State 31:45.9

  57. Shaun Walker, UMKC 32:17.2

  58. Jeff Schoon, Western Illinois 32:23.5

  59. Robert Bowers, Chicago State 41:40.9

  Nate Nunnelly, Valparaiso DNF

  Chris Wadington, UMKC DNF

  Women's Team Results

  Team Score

  1. Southern Utah 22

  2. Oakland 85

  3. IUPUI 94

  4. Valparaiso 106

  5. Oral Roberts 111

  6. Western Illinois 134

  7. UMKC 158

  8. Chicago State 245

  Women's Individual Results (6,000 meters)

  No. Name, School Time

  1. Jandee Anderson, Southern Utah 22:27.6

  2. Kristie Kieffer, Oakland 22:39.5

  3. Robyn Adams, Southern Utah 22:47.3

  4. Natalie Quilter, Southern Utah 22:59.4

  5. Lyndsey Emerson, IUPUI 23:08.4

  6. Maegan Schmutz, Southern Utah 23:20.3

  7. Natalie Myers, UMKC 23:25.8

  8. Kelly Richards, Southern Utah 23:30.5

  9. Kira Thompson, Southern Utah 23:31.0

  10. Melissa Nasers, Oakland 23:38.3

  11. Carrie Waterman, Valparaiso 23:44.5

  12. Alisha Benzanson, Southern Utah 23:45.3

  13. Miley Turnbull, Oral Roberts 23:46.6

  14. Deidre Emerson, Oral Roberts 24:03.1

  15. Lisa Tompkins, Oral Roberts 24:08.6

  16. Lacy Rex, IUPUI 24:17.4

  17. Vicky Parent, Western Illinois 24:22.1

  18. Jennifer Kunst, Oakland 24:28.2

  19. Jackie Landess, IUPUI 24:34.8

  20. Rachel Nelson, Valparaiso 24:41.6

  21. Elizabeth Kinneer, Valparaiso 24:41.6

  22. Theresa Derwinski, Oakland 24:44.7

  23. Jennifer Heitman, Western Illinois 24:48.1

  24. Elizabeth Whiting, Valparaiso 24:50.0

  25. Wendy Scott, Oral Roberts 24:51.9

  26. Lyla Frederick, IUPUI 24:57.5

  27. Stacey Sullivan, Western Illinois 25:01.8

  28. Andrea Jones, IUPUI 25:02.8

  29. Jessica Lieland, IUPUI 25:13.7

  30. Amanda Lee, Valparaiso 25:15.5

  31. Kelly Fanning, UMKC 25:16.3

  32. Theresa Gadbois, Western Illinois 25:30.6

  33. Kathy Harenski, Oakland 25:32.0

  34. Kara Coraci, Oakland 25:35.5

  35. Eva Zellman, Western Illinois 25:36.3

  36. Joanne Caparelli, UMKC 25:38.7

  37. Bethany Bradley, Western Illinois 25:40.4

  38. Sarah Kane, Oakland 25:41.5

  39. Rachel Stoehr, Valparaiso 25:44.3

  40. Heidi Nathan, Valparaiso 26:00.0

  41. Liz Smith, UMKC 26:04.3

  42. Jennifer Hainline, Western Illinois 26:22.3

  43. Anna Russell, UMKC 26:04.3

  44. Lauren Kersey, Valparaiso 26:35.3

  45. Janae Davis, Oral Roberts 26:46.4

  46. Stephanie Colombe, Oakland 26:51.3

  47. Amy Mikel, Valparaiso 26:56.4

  48. Andrea Sutter, Oakland 27:18.8

  49. Linda Caswell, UMKC 27:22.6

  50. Deanna Aavang, IUPUI 30:21.0

  51. Michelle McCormick, Western Illinois 31:04.5

  52. Akilah Easter, Chicago State 32:37.8

  53. Jacqueline McMiller, Chicago State 32:45.7

  54. Cheri Haynes, Chicago State 34:34.6

  55. DeAnna Riley, Chicago State 35:24.8

  56. Tamika Howard, Chicago State 36:59.8

  57. Sandy Santo, Chicago State 38:06.7

  Lana Ciaccio, Western Illinois DNF

  Mindy Crawford, Oral Roberts DNF

  Raquel Miller, IUPUI DNF

  Jen Navarette, UMKC DNF

  Jill Smith, UMKC DNF 

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