Michigan
NCAA Championships
Walter Leads Michigan to 15th at NCAA Championships
11/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan cross country team maintained its national ranking Monday afternoon (Nov. 27) at the NCAA Championships as the Wolverines finished in 15th place with a team score of 430 points. Brigham Young University won the team title with a low score of 85 points and North Carolina's Shalane Flanagan was crowned the national champion with a time of 19:36.0 on the 6,000-meter LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.
Leading the way for the Maize and Blue was freshman Rebecca Walter (Beverly Hills, Mich./Groves HS), who completed her first NCAA Championships in 51st place with a 6,000-meter personal-best time of 20:49.3. Walter's previous best for 6,000 meters was set last week at the Great Lakes Regional, where she finished 11th with a time of 21:44.9. Walter led the Wolverines across the line in her final four races of the season, dating back to the NCAA Pre-Nationals held on the very course she ran today.
Junior Lindsey Gallo (Freehold, N.J./Howell HS) was the second Wolverine harrier to finish, setting an NCAA personal best with a time of 21:22.4 for 108th place. Gallo ran at the NCAAs two years ago and finished 225th at 23:28.7 at the 2000 national championship meet.
In her final cross country race, senior Jane Martineau (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant HS) followed Gallo across the line by only three-tenths of a second, finishing the course at 21:22.7 for 109th. Martineau's time set a season best, as the senior's previous top time for the season was set last week at the Great Lakes Regional at 21:46.1.
Running in her final race as a Wolverine, senior team captain Jeanne Spink (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea HS) placed 122nd in a time of 21:27.4. Spink improved her only NCAA placing 106 spots as she finished 228th in 1999 with a time of 19:09.4 in the final national championship held on a 5,000-meter course.
Michigan's final three competitors were junior Andrea Parker (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) and sophomores Chelsea Loomis (Traverse City, Mich./West HS) and Sarah Pizzo (Golden, Colo./Mullen HS). Parker led the group at 159th in 21:44.9, Loomis was 168th in 21:48.9, and Pizzo rounded out the Maize and Blue finishers, crossing the line in 178th at 22:12.8.
Top 10 Teams
1. Brigham Young 85 2. Stanford 113 3. Notre Dame 170 4. Georgetown 214 5. Colorado 220 6. Providence 235 7. Arkansas 251 8. Villanova 256 9. Wake Forest 328 10. Northern Arizona 333
Top Five Individuals
1. Shalane Flanagan, UNC 19:36.0 2. Kate O'Neill, Yale 19:45.9 3. Alicia Craig, Stanford 19:48.3 4. Lauren Fleshman, Stanford 19:49.5 5. Molly Monova 19:55.7
Michigan Individual Finishes
51. Rebecca Walter 20:49.3 (36) 108. Lindsey Gallo 21:22.4 (84) 109. Jane Martineau 21:22.7 (85) 122. Jeanne Spink 21:27.4 (98) 159. Andrea Parker 21:44.9 (127) 168. Chelsea Loomis 21:48.9 (136) 214. Sarah Pizzo 22:12.8 (178)
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Mike McGuire
On the race ... "Our goal coming in was to maintain our national ranking and that is what we were able to do finishing 15th in the race today. We ran a solid race and Rebecca (Walter) was outstanding once again. We also received great races from Lindsey (Gallo) and Jane (Martineau). Jeanne (Spink) completed her career in solid fashion as she ran a great race for us."
On the season ... "We started the season unranked and to have the season we had and finish 15th in the nation is a great for us. I am very pleased and proud of our entire team today."
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
