by RBR Admin
Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service ([email protected])
This Day in X-Country/T&F -November 22
1948–After serving as the host school since the meet’s inception in 1938, Michigan State College (as it was known at the time), finally won the NCAA Div.I title on its home course, beating Wisconsin, 41-69.
Rhode Island junior Robert Black won the first of his two individual titles, covering the 4-mile layout in 19:52.6. Black, the winner of the NCAA 10,000 earlier in the year, went on to win his 2nd U.S. title the following week in Detroit(he also won in 1946). As impressive as Black’s credentials were, they pale in comparison to those of the two men who followed him across the finish line, both of whom were finalists in their respective events at the London Olympics just a few months earlier.
2nd was Wisconsin’s Don Gehrmann (20:02.6), who was 7th in the 1500-meters in London, and 3rd was Villanova’s Browning Ross (20:06.4), 7th in the steeplechase.
Gehrmann, who would again finish 2nd to Black at the 1949 NCAA XC Championships, won three NCAA Outdoor titles in the 1500 (1948) and Mile (1949,1950), won 4 Wanamaker Miles at the Millrose Games, and was a World Indoor Record holder at 1000-yards.
Ross would win the 1950 U.S. X-Country title and would make his 2nd Olympic team in 1952, but he’s better known for his accomplishments off the track. He was a co-founder of the Road Runners Club of America (and its first President) and single-handedly produced the Long Distance Log, the successor to Austin Scott’s Distance Running Journal and the primary source of information for the long distance running community from 1956-1975. (It was Distance Running News that evolved into Runner’s World.
(Another notable finisher in the NCAA race was Penn State’s Horace Ashenfelter (35th), who would win the gold medal in the steeplechase at the 1952 Olympics.)
Results
Ross: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_Ross
Gehrmann: http://www.garycohenrunning.com/Interviews/Gehrmann.aspx
1965-After spending its first 26 years at Michigan State, the NCAA moved its X-Country Championship to Lawrence, Kansas, and increased the race distance from 4-miles to 6-miles. Western Michigan won the team title for the 2nd year in a row, while Kansas senior John Lawson made the hometown fans happy by winning the individual title in 29:24. Montana senior Doug Brown, the reigning NCAA 3-mile and 6-mile champion, had battled Lawson through the first four miles before fading and eventually dropping out.
Finishing 23rd was Georgetown’s Ricardo Urbina, who would serve for many years as a judge in Washington, D.C.
Other notable finishers: 17.Dave Patrick (Villanova)…44.Barry Brown (Providence), 69.Howie Ryan (Houston), 72.Sam Bair (Kent State), 73.Tom Von Ruden (Oklahoma State)…in what some thought was a questionable decision, six runners, including Villanova’s Charlie Messenger, who had crossed the line in 12th place, and Miami/Ohio’s Jack Bacheler (55th) were disqualified for cutting the course!
Results
Urbina: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_M._Urbina
1971–Steve Prefontaine (29:14) beat Minnesota’s Gary Bjorklund (29:21) in Knoxville to win his 2nd straight NCAA X-Country title and led Oregon to its first team Championship. Also scoring for the Ducks were Randall James (19th), Pat Tyson (31st), Michael Long (35th), and Richard Ritchie (48th). Tyson, Pre’s roommate at Oregon, is currently the head coach at Gonzaga University.
Other notables: Kansas State’s Jerome Howe (10th), Bowling Green’s Dave Wottle (12th), Penn’s Dave Merrick (18th), Penn State’s Greg Fredericks (20th), Villanova’s Marty Liquori (30th), Manhattan’s Mike Keogh (34th), Penn’s Julio Piazza (46th-former coach at Lafayette), Stanford’s Duncan MacDonald (55th), Penn State’s Charlie Maguire (62nd), Michigan State’s Ken Popejoy (70th), Penn’s Denis Fikes (75th), Tennessee’s Doug Brown (89th).
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qId-mlFsHCw&feature=youtu.be
Results
1976–Washington State’s Henry Rono (28:06.6) beat teammate Samson Kimobwa (28:16.8) to win the first of his three NCAA titles. Some big names trailed the two Kenyans.
3.Craig Virgin (Illinois) 28:26.5–defending champion, 2-time World XC Champion…inducted into the U.S. Hall of
Fame in 2011.
4.Herb Lindsay (Michigan State) 28:30.7–became America’s best road racer in 1981-1982
5.John Treacy (Providence/Ireland) 28:34.8–1984 Olympic silver medalist in the Marathon
6.Wilson Waigwa (UTEP) 28:39.0–1977 NCAA Indoor (Mile) and Outdoor (1500) Champion
Other notables in the race:Oregon’s Rudy Chapa (9th), UTEP’s James Munyala (10th), , Arizona’s Thom Hunt (13th), Northeastern’s Bruce Bickford (14th), Michigan’s Greg Meyer (19th), Penn State’s George Malley (20th), BYU’s Henry Marsh (24th), Villanova’s Carey Pinkowski (41st), who is currently the director of the Chicago Marathon, Oregon’s Matt Centrowitz (51st)
Kimobwa would set a World Record for 10,000-meters the following June, only to see it broken by Rono in 1978! Results
1982–The individual winner at the 2nd NCAA DIv.I Championships for women was Lesley Welch, who led Virginia to its 2nd straight Women’s team title. Men’s winners were Wisconsin and Colorado’s Mark Scrutton (30:12.6).
While this was the 2d year that the NCAA sponsored a women’s xc championship, it was the first all-inclusive NCAA women’s championship, as the AIAW and NCAA both conducted championships in ‘81, and many schools had stayed with the AIAW. Since the NCAA paid expenses for competing schools, that was the end of the AIAW. The ‘81-‘82 school year was the lone year of both organizations sponsoring championships in both TF and XC.
Other notable finishers
Men:2.Zak Barie (UTEP) 30:14.8, 4.Tim Hacker (Wisconsin), 8.Ed Eyestone (BYU—coach at his alma mater), 10.Gidamis Shahanga (UTEP), 18.Brian Diemer(Michigan—coach at Calvin), 33.Jeff Drenth (Central Michigan), 38.Jim Sapienza (Dartmouth), 40.Jim Spivey (Indiana), 42.Keith Brantly (Florida), 71.Sos Bitok (Richmond), 96.Matt McGuirk (Oregon-coach at Willamette), 123.Jama Aden (FDU)
Women:3.Ceci Hopp (Stanford), 10.Nan Doak (Iowa), 19.Sabrina Dornhoefer (Missouri), 20.Cathy Branta (Wisconsin), 27.Regina Jacobs (Stanford), 29.Martha White (Virginia), 37.Joan Nesbit (North Carolina), 45.PattiSue Plumer (Stanford), 49.Lynn Jennings (Princeton), 54.Polly Plumer (UCLA), 55.Lynne Strauss (Penn State), 59.Tina Krebs (Clemson), 101.Claudette Groenendaal (Oregon), 118.Joetta Clark (Tennessee)
Results
Women:
1993–Getting top-10 finishes from Jason Bunston (2-29:40.2), Niall Bruton (3-29:43.6) and Teddy Mitchell (8-29:51.6), Arkansas won its 4th straight men’s Div.I title, scoring a low 31 points on Lehigh’s course in Bethlehem, PA. The individual winner was Washington State’s Josephat Kapkory (29:32.4).
Villanova also had three top-10 finishers as it won the 5th of its 6 consecutive Women’s Div.I titles. With just a 5-point edge over Arkansas (66-71), it would be their smallest margin of victory during the streak.
The Wildcats looked like an easy winner after getting a 1-2 finish from Carole Zajac (16:40.3), who won her 2nd straight title, and Jen Rhines (16:44.4), with Becky Spies (16:54.6) placing 7th. However, Arkansas countered with 4 finishers in the top-15, led by future great Deena Drossin-Kastor (16:54.0) in 6th-place. The two teams were tied at 31 through 4 runners, with Emer Molloy (17:32.0) completing Villanova’s scoring in 48th place, less than 3 seconds ahead of Arkansas’ 5-6 runners!
Other notable finishers
Men-4.Kevin Sullivan(Michigan—Head Men’s coach at his alma mater), 11.Andy Keith (Providence), 14.Louie Quintana (Villanova-coach at Oregon State), 21.Jason Stewart (Army), 22.Jason Pyrah (BYU), 23.Corey Ihmels (Iowa State—coach at Boise State), 27.Andy Downin (Georgetown), 31.Alan Culpepper (Colorado), 33.Richie Boulet (Cal), 58.Bob Hamer (Penn State-coach at Rider), 84.Dan Browne (Army), 139.Erik Nedeau (Northeastern), 119.Robert Gary (Ohio State/coach at Furman)
Women-5.Amy Rudolph (Providence), 8.Megan Flowers (Arkansas), 9.Shelley Taylor (Arkansas), 14.Sarah Schwald (Arkansas), 31.Tosha Woodward (Villanova), 53,Amy McKInley (Arkansas), 54.Michelle Byrne (Arkansas), 71.Melody Fairchild (Oregon), 105.Karen Harvey (Michigan)
Results
Women:
1999–South Alabama’s David Kimani (30:06.6), a 6’-2” freshman from Kenya, won the Men’s individual title at the NCAA Div.I X-Country Championships in Bloomington, Indiana. The likeable Kimani, who transferred to Alabama after his freshman year, won a total of 5 NCAA titles on the track (3000&5000 indoors in 2000 and 2001, 5000 outdoors in 2002). Sadly, he collapsed and died in April, 2003, while having lunch at the Alabama dining facility. The official cause of death was “undetermined natural disease”.
The Arkansas Razorbacks won their 10th team title (4th in a row) easily, beating runnerup Wisconsin by 127 points (58-185).
Winners on the Women’s side were Brigham Young and Wisconsin’s Erica Palmer (16:39.5).
Other notable finishers
Men-4.Matt Downin (Wisconsin), 9.Keith Kelly (Providence), 12.Ryan Shay (Notre Dame), 13.Tim Broe (Alabama), 20.Jonathon Riley (Stanford), 33.Brian Berryhill (Colorado State—head T&F coach at Wyoming), 47.Jorge Torres (Colorado), 103.Bolota Asmerom (California), 123.Gabe Jennings (Stanford), 173.Anthony Famiglietti (Tennessee).
Women-2.Amy Yoder (Arkansas), 5.Lauren Fleshman (Stanford), 6.Leigh Daniel (Texas Tech), 9.Kara Wheeler-Goucher (Colorado), 12.Amy Mortimer (Kansas State) , 14.Julia Stamps (Stanford), 24.Carmen Douma (Villanova), 32.Mary Jane Harrelson (Appalachian State), 45.Sally Glynn (Stanford), 50.Lisa Aguilera (Arizona State), 104.Christin Wurth (Arkansas)
Complete Results
Women: http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/special-articles/352
2010–Junior Sheila Reid (20:06.9) won the first of her two individual Div.I titles and led Villanova to the team crown on a windy day at the NCAA Div.I X-Country Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana.
“The tradition at Villanova can be daunting,” Reid said. “You hear names like Sonia O’Sullivan, Vicki Huber and Carrie Tollefson and they seem so distant and beyond us. It is incredible to maybe be amongst those names now. It is hard to believe that we are in the same shoes as these women who have done such amazing things”.
There were repeat winners on the men’s side, with Liberty’s Sam Chelanga (29:22.2) taking his 2nd individual title and Oklahoma State their 2nd team title.
Other notable finishers:
Men-2.Stephen Sambu (Arizona-29:26.5), 3.Luke Puskedra (Oregon), 8.German Fernandez (Oklahoma State), 10.Matthew Centrowitz (Oregon), 11.Dorian Ulrey (Arkansas), 15.Miles Batty (BYU), 34.Donn Cabral (Princeton)
Women-2.Emily Infeld (Georgetown-20:09.2), 3.Jordan Hasay (Oregon-20:13.0)
Results
Women:
https://www.milesplit.com/meets/74135-ncaa-di-cross-country-championships-2010/results#.X7kXBi9h1QI
Reports
https://www.letsrun.com/2010/ncaaxcmen-1122.php
https://www.milesplit.com/meets/74135-ncaa-di-cross-country-championships-2010/coverage#.X7kW1C9h1QI
https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/chelanga-and-reid-prevail-at-ncaa-cross-count
2014—Winners of the Men’s titles at the NCAA Div.I Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana, were Colorado and Oregon sophomore Edward Cheserek (2nd in a row for both). 2nd to Cheserek was Duck teammate Eric Jenkins. Also in the field were 3 future champions-18.Patrick Tiernan (Villanova/2016), 75.Morgan McDonald (Wisconsin/2018), 143.Justyn Knight (Syracuse/2017).
“This is probably our best team ever,” Colorado head coach Mark Wetmore said. “Again, I had the team that came here with Jorge [Torres] who won and the team that followed it and great other individuals who were followed by good teams but not winners. Certainly, this is the best third, fourth and fifth we’ve ever had and certainly I think it’s the best team score that we’ve ever had. So, they are real good and they belong in the pantheon.”
“I’m really proud of those guys,” Wetmore went on to say. “It’s is hard to be the favorites, it’s so hard to have the attention. It’s so hard for nine or ten 21-year-old men to keep their egos in check and they really did it. They were talking each other up the whole time. I think any one of them would have sacrificed his day to have a bad day if it would have meant six good days for his teammates. So, that’s the biggest feeling I have. Pride, not for me, but pride for them.”
Michigan State won its first women’s title, and Iona’s Kate Avery, 3rd in 2013, was the individual winner. Avery, a junior from England, took the lead early and won by more than 8 seconds.
“I can’t say enough about the kids. I couldn’t be more proud of them,” stated MSU head coach Walt Drenth. “The way they’ve handled themselves all year and the way they are a team. The way they trust each other and Coach [Lisa] Senakiewich and I. That’s been as gratifying as anything. To win a national championship, it’s a really proud moment. I’d really like to thank Spartan nation, that was amazing to hear that ‘Go Green, Go White.’ I couldn’t be more proud to be a Spartan right now.”
Other Notable Finishers
MEN:6.Stanley Kebenei (Arkansas), 57.Sam McEntee (Villanova), 58.Jordy Williamsz (Villanova), ,
WOMEN:2.Sarah Disanza (Wisconsin), 3.Emma Bates (Boise State), 5.Rachel Johnson (Baylor), 6.Dominique Scott (Arkansas), 9.Shelby Houlihan (Arizona State), 12.Elise Cranny (Stanford), 13.Courtney Frerichs (Missouri-Kansas City), 19.Molly Seidel (Notre Dame), 23.Colleen Quigley (Florida State), 82.Annie Leblanc (Oregon), 155.Karissa Schweizer (Missouri/2016 Champion)
Results:
WOMEN:
https://www.milesplit.com/meets/177497-ncaa-di-cross-country-championships-2014/results#.X7kX6C9h1QI
Race Videos:
Women: www.ncaa.com/video/cross-country-women/2014-11-22/di-womens-cross-country-championship-full-replay
NCAA Report
Men: http://tinyurl.com/NCAA14XCReport; Women: http://tinyurl.com/NCAAXC14ReportW
https://www.letsrun.com/events/2014-ncaa-cross-country-championships/
FloTrack Coverage(lots of videos): http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/251721
Historical Links
Div.I Women Men T&F News Archives USTFCCA
Also
1986–It might not have been on this exact date, but it was just before the Thanksgiving break when freshman Meredith Rainey, who had just turned 18, walked into Harvard coach Frank Haggerty’s office and told him she wanted to join the track team. Rainey had been an age-group star in Brooklyn while competing for Fred Thompson’s Atoms Track Club, but had concentrated on other activities during her 4 years at St.Ann’s H.S. in Brooklyn,NY.
A skeptical Haggerty allowed her to come out for the team and the rest, as they say, is history. Rainey-Valmon (she’s married to Maryland head coach Andrew Valmon), went on to win two NCAA 800m titles and was a member of the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympic teams
http://ivy50.com/story.aspx?sid=9/19/2006.
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77942
Born On This Day*
Geoffrey Kamworor-Kenya 33 (1992) 5-time World Champion: ½-marathon (2014, 2016, 2018), X-Country (2015, 2017)
Silver medalist in the 10,000-meters at the 2015 World Championships (2017-6th); 11th at the 2016 Olympics
Winner of the 2017 & 2019 NY City Marathon (2nd-2015, 3rd-2018, 5th-2024)
Berlin Marathon-2012 (3rd), 2013 (3rd), 2014 (4th)
2nd at the 2023 London Marathon—ran a personal best of 2:04:23
Bronze medalist at the 2019 World X-Country Championships, 4th in 2023
5th in the Marathon at the 2022 World Championships (2:07:14)
PBs:12:59.98 (2016), 26:52.65 (2015), 58:01 (2019), 2:04:23 (2023); 2025 SB: 58:44, 2:04:33
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/geoffrey-kipsang-kamworor-14423680
https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a24472645/is-geoffrey-kamworor-the-next-kipchoge/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Kipsang_Kamworor
Hillary Bor—Kenya/U.S. 36 (1989) 2016 Olympic finalist—Steeplechase (7th)
Winner at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials—didn’t make the final at the Tokyo Olympics
2022 U.S. Champion–8th at the 2022 World Championships
3rd at the 2017 U.S. Championships—eliminated in the 1st round at the World Championships in London
2nd at the 2018 U.S. Championships
All-American at Iowa State: NCAA-2008(4th), 2009(2nd), 2010(3rd)
Became a U.S. citizen after joining the Army…member of the Army’s WCAP program (World Class
Athlete Program). Bor was one of four ex-Kenyans representing the U.S. in Rio
PBs: 7:48.73i(2020), 8:08.41(2019/#4 All-Time U.S.), 13:14.96i(2019), 59:55 (2025), 2:10:47 (2025-debut/NY)
…
