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2003 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPThe Western Athletic Conference had six student-athletes compete in the NCAA Cross Country Championships today in Waterloo, Iowa, at the Irv Warren Golf Course. Mircea Bogden of UTEP led all WAC competitors on the mens side, placing 22nd in the 10k race with a time of 30:03.3. For the WAC women, Rices Kate Gorry placed 53rd with a time of 20:54.9. The WAC had no teams qualify for the championship. Stanford pulled off the sweep, taking home both the mens and womens team titles.
Bogden, a sophomore from UTEP, won the 2003 WAC title and was named the WAC Athlete of the Year. His time of 30:03.4 was the fourth-best time for individuals not competing in the team portion. SMUs Dalibor Balgac crossed with a time of 30:14.0 to take home 35th. Boise States Forest Braden was the other WAC male to compete, crossing in 31:03.1 for 125th.
Gorry, a sophomore from Rice, finished third at the WAC Championship. Her time of 20:54.9 at the NCAA meet was the 13th-best finish for individuals not competing for a team score. SMUs Karin van Rooyen crossed in 21:01.9, finishing 64th. Alba Garcia of UTEP was the only other WAC female athlete to compete, taking 81st in a time of 21:08.6.
Colorados Dathan Ritzenhein took home the mens individual title, crossing in 29:14.1. The Stanford men took home the mens team title, posting 24 points to Wisconsins second-place effort of 174. On the womens side, North Carolinas Shalene Flanagan won the individual title with a time of 19:30.4. The Stanford women edged the team title, defeating BYU, 120 to 128.
2003 WAC CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEWIt was a pair of firsts at the 2003 WAC Cross Country Championship in Belmont, Calif. The Tulsa men and Nevada women both brought home their first WAC Cross Country titles. The Golden Hurricane placed five in the first 15 to earn 49 points. UTEP's Mircea Bogden took first for the men in a time of 24:38. The Wolf Pack, led by Abigail McAllister (17:07) who took home top honors, placed four in the top 10 to take first with 43 points.
Taking the top three spots for the men in the 8k was UTEP sophomore Mircea Bogden with a time of 24:38 who grabbed the gold. In second was SMU's Dalibor Balgac (24:42), while Boise State's Forest Braden rounded out the medalist in a time of 24:48. For the women, Nevada's Abigail McAllister brought home the gold in the 5k with a time of 17:07. Taking home the silver was 2002 WAC Champion, SMU's Karin van Rooyen (17:17). In third was Rice sophomore Kate Gorry, who crossed in 17:20.
The season awards were also handed out at the event. On the men's side, UTEP's Mircea Bogden earned the 2003 WAC Athlete of the Year honor. Freshman of the Year went to Rice's Stephen Magness who finished fifth at the meet. Coach of the Year went to Tulsa's Steve Gulley, after he guided the Hurricane to their first WAC Cross Country title.
For the women, meet champion, Abigail McAllister was named the 2003 WAC Athlete of the Year. Freshman of the Year went to SMU's Rachel Collins after she crossed fourth with at time of 17:31. Coach of the Year went to Nevada's Kay Ulrich. She not only guided the Wolf Pack to the WAC title, but brought home the Chili Pepper Invite crown, which was at the time, the biggest win for Nevada.
For the men, Tulsa outlasted Boise State with 49 points to 65. The Broncos, who finished second, were led by Forest Braden who grabbed bronze. In third was UTEP with 66 points. Bogden won the men's title in a time of 24:38. Fellow Miner Dirk de Heer took fourth at 25:00. Rice finished fourth with 83 points. Freshman Stephen Magness led the way for the Owls, taking fifth with at time of 25:02. In fifth were the SMU Mustangs as Dalibor Balgac grabbed second in 24:42, while 2002 WAC Freshman of the Year Soeren Linder finished eighth (25:25). Rounding out the field was Louisiana Tech in sixth with 110 points, while San Jose State finished seventh with 198.
On the women's side, Nevada brought home the second overall WAC title for the school, picking up 43 points to take first. In second was UTEP who tallied 63 points, with two top-10 finishers. Amparo Menendez-Ramos crossed in seventh (17:55) while Adriana Pirtea finished ninth (18:00). In third was Rice who registered 88 points with the help of Kate Gorry who finished third (17:20). Taking home fourth was SMU who placed two in the top four. Karin van Rooyen was unable to repeat as champion, taking second in 17:17. In fourth was freshman Rachel Collins who earned Freshman of the Year honors, crossing in 17:31. Kara June led the way for Fresno State who took sixth with 154 points. June finished sixth in 18:08. Rounding out the women's field was Tulsa in sixth with 159 points, Boise State was seventh (163), Hawai'i finished eighth (186), while San Jose State was ninth with 190.