MSU Cross Country Squads Finsh Strong At SEC Championship

Saturday, October 28

Baton Rouge, La.

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MSU Cross Country Squads Finsh Strong At SEC Championship

October 28, 2006 | Cross Country

By: hailstate.com

BATON ROUGE, La. ??“ Both Mississippi State's men's and women's cross country teams finished in the top half of the 2006 Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championship meet in Baton Rouge, La. on Saturday. The Lady Bulldogs claimed fifth place while the men finished sixth in the league wide event.

State's finish on the women's side is the best finish for them at the SEC Championship since the 2002 campaign in which MSU also placed fifth in the meet. On the men's ledger, the Bulldogs placement is best in 25 years for the program. MState registered 162 points in the women's 6K and the men's team posted 158.

MSU head women's coach Al Schmidt commended his squad for their performance at the conference-wide meet.

Anytime you finish in the top half of the SEC it is pretty big, said Schmidt. I really have to commend my team today; it was a real team effort today. Our 1-6 girls really ran great today.

Men's head coach Steve Dudley was equally proud of his team's performance in the 8K event after having brought back the program just four seasons ago.

The only way that you can describe today is ??“ wow, said Dudley. The guys ran like rabid Bulldogs today and beat a lot of teams that we weren't suppose to today. Our guys not only represented the cross country program but as the entire MSU Athletic family.

Senior Jennifer McPherson turned in MState's best performance in the women's 6K race with a time of 21:06.50 to finish 22nd in the individual standings. Annie Falor followed suit with a time of 21:16.43, which was 24th best in the field. Sophomore Michelle Corrigan finished 38th (21:44.48) followed by Mina Thorstenson (22:06.64) and Liz Grube (22:14.13) Thorstenson and Grube finished 48th and 50th respectively.

Leading the way for the Bulldogs in the SEC meet was senior Travis McKay, who crossed the line at 24:41.66 in 15th place. He finished one spot in the individual standings from being named all-SEC. The top-14 finishers in the event are named all-SEC performers. Ashenafi Arega carded a time of 25:15.98 which was good for 27th place. Jonathan Rono finished at 25.40:71 (40th), followed by Robert Scribner (25:42.60) and Pad Judd (25:48.40). Scribner and Judd both finished in the top-50 of the field. Wade Martin and Phillip Moore rounded out the MSU scoring with times of 25:58.84 and 26.23:21 respectively.

Dudley also praised the hard work of his assistant coach Houston Franks, who prepares the work outs for the squad.

It was a very successful weekend, said Houston Franks. For us to finish in the top half of the SECs after just bringing the program back just four years ago it really says a lot about the guys on this team.

Arkansas swept both SEC Titles and marks the 16th-straight conference title by the UA men's team.

MSU will travel to Knoxville, Tenn. for the NCAA South Regional on Saturday, Nov. 11. If State finishes in the top five of the regional, it should receive an invite to the NCAA Championship.

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
Women (6K)
1. Arkansas 17; 2. Georgia 64; 3. Tennessee 66; 4. Florida 100; 5. Mississippi State 162; 6. Kentucky 172; 7. Vanderbilt 226; 8. Alabama 240; 9. LSU 250, 10. Auburn 251; 11. South Carolina 302; 12. Ole Miss 368

Men (8K)
1. Arkansas 21;2. Florida 73; 3. Alabama 75; 4. Tennessee 121; 5. Georgia 136; 6. Mississippi State 158; 7. Kentucky 208; 8. Ole Miss 222; 9. LSU 240; 10. Vanderbilt 252; 12. Auburn 301