NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Junior JoAnna Deeter (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) and sophomore 
Ryan Shay (Central Lake, Mich.) will represent the Notre Dame men's and 
women's cross country squads at the 1998 NCAA Cross Country 
Championships held in Lawrence, Kan., on Monday, November 23. 

Deeter, who finished second at the District IV meet this past weekend, 
is making her second appearance at the NCAA Championships. As a freshman 
in 1996, Deeter ran individually and placed third to earn All-America 
honors. So far this season, she has won four of the six races she has 
competed in and placed third and second in the other two. 

"JoAnna has had a great season," said head women's coach Tim Connelly. 
"She's capable of a top-10 finish. Plus, she's already been (to the 
NCAAs) before, so she knows what to expect." 

Shay is making his first trip to the NCAA Championships after placing 
10th at the district race last Saturday. The top American runner at last 
summer's Junior World Cross Country Championships, Shay has also been 
the top runner for the Irish in every meet this season. In 1998, Shay 
won the National Catholic meet and placed second twice. 

"He has run very well all year long," said head men's coach Joe Piane. 
"I would expect that he would have a legitimate shot at making 
All-American." 

The Notre Dame women's team, despite finishing fourth at the district 
meet, were passed over for one of the 13 at-large bids to the 
championships. Only Wisconsin and Michigan, the two automatic qualifiers 
from District IV race, will be participating at the NCAAs. 

The Notre Dame men's squad just barely missed being selected as one of 
the at-large spot teams. Although they finished eighth at the district 
meet, the top six teams (Michigan State, Michigan, Butler, Wisconsin, 
Central Michigan and Miami (Ohio)) all will be running in next Monday's 
meet. This is the first time since 1991 that the men will not be running 
in the NCAA championships.