First At-Large Bid to the Championship Since 2002
11/13/05 10:43PM
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The cross country Selections Committee has chosen William and Mary's women's cross country team as one of the 13 at-large teams that will compete for the national title in Terre Haute, Indiana on Monday, November 21st. It is the first trip to the NCAA Championship for the Tribe since 2002, and sixth overall. The men's cross country team earned a bid to the NCAAs, its ninth straight, by winning the Southeast Region yesterday.
The bid comes one day after the College's student-athletes upset No. 24 North Carolina to finish fourth at the Southeast Region Championship, the latest accomplishment in what has already been an outstanding season. In addition to winning its third consecutive Colonial Athletic Association Championship at the end of October, the Tribe also claimed two other team titles against squads from around the state of Virginia, in the Tribe Open and the Cavalier Open. At the national level, W&M's harriers were equally as impressive, finishing fifth at the Great American Festival in September and 12th at the Brooks Pre-National Invitational one month ago. In that race against 33 other teams, the Tribe defeated every squad not ranked in the top 30, and upset two that were receiving votes in the national polls.
The best finish for William and Mary at the NCAA Championships was in 1998, when current head coach Kathy Newberry finished 43rd and led the team to 10th place. The last time the team went was in 2002, and finished 23rd.
The NCAA Championships will be hosted again this year by Indiana State, in Terre Haute on Monday, November 21. On Friday, November 19, the Tribe (with the exception of the eight student-athletes at Nationals) will vie for the 21st annual ECAC Championship in New York City. Start times for both races will be released later this week.