Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Sweeps UAA Championship
RESULTS | PHOTOS
Chicago, Ill., October 29, 2011 – The Washington University in St. Louis men’s and women’s cross country teams swept the team titles for the second-straight year at the 2011 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships held on Saturday, Oct. 29, at Montrose Harbor in Chicago, Ill.
“Both teams ran really well today and had great team performances ,”said 11th-year head coach Jeff Stiles. “Everyone went out today and did there job. We wanted to go out and perform well, and run as a team.”
The WUSTL men’s team totaled 46 points and captured the UAA Championship for the second year in a row and sixth time in school history. Second-place New York University totaled 64 points with five top-20 finishes, 18 points behind Washington U. The women’s team picked up its third-straight UAA title, and a conference-best 12th in school history, distancing itself from New York by 43 points.
Senior Michael Burnstein won the men’s individual championship for the second-straight year, becoming the second WUSTL male student-athlete to win back-to-back titles, and just the fourth in school history to place first at the conference championship meet. Burnstein completed the 8K course in a time of 25:29.80, over 11 seconds better than second place finisher Evan Gates of Carnegie Mellon University.
Senior Erica Jackey won the women’s individual championship after completing the 6K course in a time of 22:09, which is the sixth fastest time in UAA history. Jackey edged out Emily Wobb of Carnegie Mellon by eight seconds to capture the school’s 10th UAA individual title.
The men had five student-athletes in the top-20 in the field of 75 runners. Senior Tucker Hartley (seventh place, 25:31) joined Burnstein on the all-UAA first-team, while junior David Hamm (eighth place, 25:57) and freshman Ryan Senci (10th place, 26:06) picked up second-team honors. Sophomore Elliot Petterson (20th place, 26:34) rounded out the top-five runners for Washington U. Senci also picked up UAA Rookie of the Year honors on the men’s side.
Jackey was one of five-student athletes on the women’s side that placed in the top-eight. Freshman Lucy Cheadle placed third in her first conference meet with a time of 22:24, while senior Liz Phillips (sixth place, 22:38) and senior Jessica Londeree (seventh place, 22:39) joined Jackey and Cheadle on the UAA first team. Sophomore Sarah Fisher rounded out the top-five for Washington U. with an eighth-place finish (22:41), good for second-team all-UAA honors. Cheadle also picked up UAA Rookie of the Year honors.
In addition, Stiles and assistant coaches Lane Lohr, Jaime Kootz, Zach Griffen and John Laughlin swept UAA Coaching Staff of the Years honors on the men’s and women’s side.
The men’s and women’s cross country teams will have a week off before returning to action at the 2011 NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Championships, to be hosted Saturday, Nov. 13, in Rock Island, Ill.