Virginia Intermont Repeats as NAIA National Champions

Cobras grab five All-American Awards

(Saturday, November 19th, 2005, Louisville, Ky.) - The Virginia
Intermont College Men\'s Cross-Country team doubled their pleasure
Saturday, when they ran to their second consecutive team title, topping
runner-up Concordia University (Irvine, Cal.) 52-122.

Leading the way for the Cobras was freshman Steeve Gabart (Miami,
Florida), running to a 9th place finish of 24:54.65, for the 8,000
meter course. Following Steeve into the finish were junior Pat Marion
(Ottawa, Ontario) in 14th place (25:02.70), sophomore Ondrej Puskar
(Trnava, Slovakia) in 15th place (25:03.10), freshman Jeremy Cadle
(Charlottesville, Va.) in 18th place (25:04.70), and senior James
Mousseau (Killdeer, N.D.) in 21st place (25:06.80). The top-5
finishers for VI all earned All-American honors for their top-30
finishes.

Also contributing to the Cobras\' championship finish were sophomore
Elkana Chepsorir (Eldorat, Kenya) with a 32nd place finish of 25:22.35
and junior Ricky Cuevas (Stockton, Cal.) with a 54th place finish of
25:37.55.

The individual champion was Soimo Kiplagat of Lindenwood University
(Mo.) with a winning time of 23:49.10. There were 261 finishers in the
event.

The win marks the fourth consecutive men\'s team title for head coach
Scott Simmons. He won the 2002 and 2003 titles while at Minot State
University (N.D.), and now the 2004 and 2005 titles with Virginia
Intermont.

\"The men really ran well,\" said Coach Simmons, \"and I am very happy
with
everyone.\"


Individual Results
9 - 24:54.65 - Steeve Gabart - Fr.
14 - 25:02.70 - Pat Marion - Jr.
15 - 25:03.10 - Ondrej Puskar - So.
18 - 25:04.70 - Jeremy Cadle - Fr.
21 - 25:06.80 - James Mousseau - Sr.
32 - 25:22.35 - Elkana Chepsiror - So.
54 - 25:37.55 - Ricky Cuevas - Jr.

Team Results
1 - 52 - Virginia Intermont
2 - 122 - Concordia (Cal.)
3 - 209 - Lindenwood (Mo.)
4 - 221 - Oklahoma Baptist
5 - 222 - Azusa Pacific (Cal.)
6 - 243 - Aquinas (Mich.)
7 - 251 - Malone (Ohio)
8 - 276 - Black Hills State (N.D.)
9 - 287 - Indiana Wesleyan
10 - 301 - Southern Oregon
11 - 315 - Concordia (Neb.)
12 - 349 - Oklahoma Christian
13 - 364 - Simon Fraser (B.C.)
14 - 376 - Cedarville (Ohio)
15 - 389 - Westmont (Cal.)
16 - 393 - Wayland Baptist (Tex.)
17 - 420 - Albertson (Idaho)
18 - 424 - California State - San Marcos
19 - 425 - British Columbia
20 - 450 - St. Vincent (Pa.)
21 - 488 - Shawnee State (Ohio)
22 - 515 - Spring Arbor (Mich.)
23 - 541 - Doane (Neb.)
24 - 602 - Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
25 - 622 - Cumberlands (Ky.)
26 - 628 - Berry (Ga.)
27 - 638 - Southwestern (Kan.)
28 - 667 - St. Xavier (Ill.)