D-I Cross Country Championship Field Set – NCAA.com – The Official Website of NCAA Championships
D-I Cross Country Championship Field Set – NCAA.com

Nov. 15, 2009

NCAA RELEASE

INDIANAPOLIS—The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Committee announced today the team and individual qualifiers for the 2009 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships.
In order to be eligible to participate in the championships, teams and individuals qualified in their respective NCAA regions.
Thirty-one teams were selected to participate in each championship. The top two, seven-person teams automatically qualified from each of the nine regions, for a total of 18 teams. Thirteen additional teams were selected at-large.
Thirty-eight individuals were selected to participate in each championship through an automatic qualifier and at-large selection process. All individual qualifiers finished in the top 25 in their region.
Indiana State University will host the Championships, November 23, at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Indiana. The men’s race will begin at approximately 12:08 p.m. Eastern time, followed by the women’s race at approximately 12:58 p.m. Both championship races will be broadcast live on Versus Network and streamed online via NCAA.com.

D-II Championship Field Set – NCAA.com – The Official Website of NCAA Championships
D-II Championship Field Set – NCAA.com

NCAA RELEASE

INDIANAPOLIS—The NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Committee has announced the participants for the 2009 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships.

In order to be eligible to participate in the championships, teams and individuals had to qualify in their respective NCAA region competitions that were held this past weekend.

A total of 368 participants (184 men and 184 women) will compete in the championships. All regions automatically qualified two teams of seven student-athletes each. Additional berths were awarded to the regions with the first eight team finishers at the 2008 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships.

All regions automatically qualify the top two individuals from non-qualifying teams. In addition, all individual competitors who finish in the top five overall places in their respective regional meet and are not a member of a qualifying team automatically advance to the championships.
The University of Southern Indiana will host the championships, November 21, at University of Southern Indiana Cross Country Course in Evansville, Indiana. The women’s race will begin at noon Central time followed by the men’s race at 1 p.m. Central time.

Fisher trained smarter to gain edge in sport | thetimesherald.com | The Times Herald
Fisher trained smarter to gain edge in sport

James Fisher trained harder before his junior cross country season.

He trained smarter this year, leading to a banner year.

The Yale senior was the Blue Water Area Conference and Division 2 regional champion.

For his efforts, Fisher is the Times Herald boys cross country Runner of the Year.

“I just think finally my training came together,” Fisher said. “I didn’t really start taking training really seriously until before my junior year, but my junior year I had injuries.

“This year, I trained smart instead of hard.”

Briton runners complete cross country season | Albion College Sports
Briton runners complete cross country season
Saturday, November 14, 2009
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The seniors turned in great performances as Albion College completed its season in the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Cross Country Championships.

Erika Nichols (Greenville/Greenville) was the 43rd runner to complete the women’s 6K course. She crossed the finish line in 23:50.59. It was one of the highest finishes by an Albion woman in the regional meet since Hayden Smith took over as coach in 2001.

Smith was also proud of Sarah Ramp (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township), who continued running despite her legs going numb in the first mile. She posted a time of 27:11.1.

First-year runner Amanda Weaver (Marshall/Marshall) was the second Briton to finish, posting a time of 24:38.72. Emily McLaughlin (Grosse Pointe/Grosse Pointe South), Katie Broekema (Schoolcraft/Schoolcraft), and Charlotte Spencer (Ypsilanti/Gabriel Richard) were Albion’s third, fourth, and fifth runners, respectively.

In the men’s 8K race, Nick Shaheen (Flint/Powers) responded after a week and a half illness to post a time of 28:21.

O’Connor focuses on accomplishments and future | thetimesherald.com | The Times Herald
O’Connor focuses on accomplishments and future

Leah O’Connor was disappointed with her finish this year at the Division 2 state cross country finals.

But she also knew she had plenty of running ahead of her — and plenty behind her that proved she was one of the elite runners in the state.

“When I got done at the state meet, I was super, super upset,” O’Connor said. “I walked over to my tent. I didn’t want to talk to anyone or look at anyone. I changed my shoes and went for a walk with my friend around the course.

“The more I thought about it, I realized I had a good season. I had two state championships in track. I’ve done enough to prove that I can run, and I’m capable of running better. I have four more years of college cross country.

Fouchey, SC win 1st-ever regional title | thetimesherald.com | The Times Herald
Fouchey, SC win 1st-ever regional title

Even though Joe Fouchey had prior experience coaching cross country, he didn’t want to return a decade later and be unprepared.

“I’ve been coaching track for most of my career,” Fouchey said. “I changed some things. Running is running, and getting a body in shape is pretty much the same thing it was.

“But I had to re-look at my files and look online for new things. I didn’t just walk in thinking I was just going to do it.”

In his second year back coaching the St. Clair girls cross-country team, Fouchey led the Saints to their first regional title.

Shaw, Pioneers make first state trip since 2003 | thetimesherald.com | The Times Herald
Shaw, Pioneers make first state trip since 2003

By PAUL COSTANZO
Times Herald
• November 15, 2009
Croswell-Lexington has been well represented in the Division 2 boys cross-country state finals in the past few years, but mostly as individuals.

This season, the Pioneers went to Michigan International Speedway as a team for the first time since 2003. They finished 14th.

“I was really pleased,” Cros-Lex Coach Rick Shaw said. “I think that’s about where I thought we’d finish, just because of the level of competition being so high. I was definitely pleased with how we did.”

The state placement came on the heels of a second-place regional finish and a third straight Blue Water Area Conference championship.

For his efforts in leading the Pioneers, Shaw is the Times Herald Boys Cross Country Coach of the Year.

Tri-County Times > Sports > Eagles excited about competing, looking ahead to the near future
By David Troppens
Published: Sunday, November 15, 2009 6:16 AM EST
 Brooklyn — The last time the Linden varsity girls cross country team had made it to the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Cross Country Championships, disco was still in, Jimmy Carter was the president of the United States and the Village People were singing their hit song, “YMCA”.

 But the 30-year departure from the state’s elite meet ended Saturday at Michigan International Speedway, and the Linden Eagles, who finished 24th in Division 2, were thrilled.

 “It’s indescribable,” said Linden’s sole senior runner in the race, Sayre Jedele. “I am so happy to be here. It’s been the greatest senior year. I’m so proud of all the girls, for giving me an opportunity to run in this race. It was a ton of fun.”

 “It’s cool because we made history at Linden,” Linden’s top runner at the meet, Mayce Varacalli said. “For the past 30 years, we haven’t had a team that has gone to state together. We’ve had girls go by themselves, but not as a team. It’s been fun.”