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1997 BIG EAST Cross Country Championships
Van Cortlandt Park -- Bronx, N.Y. October 31, 1997
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: October 31, 1997
CONTACT: Mike Laprey
PROVIDENCE WOMEN WIN THIRD STRAIGHT TITLE;
NOTRE DAME CAPTURES FIRST MEN'S CROWN
Bronx, N.Y. -- The Providence women's team won its third straight title and the Notre Dame men's squad won its first-ever conference crown today at the 1997 BIG EAST Cross Country Championship at Van Cortlandt Park, in the Bronx.
Villanova's Carrie Tollefson, running the second fastest collegiate time in Van Cortlandt history, won the women's
5,000-meter race in 16:54. Connecticut's Travis Landreth claimed the men's title, covering the five-mile course in
24:49. The Providence women placed five runners in the top 20. Notre Dame placed all five scorers in the top 20. With
four women's teams and two men's teams ranked in the NCAA Top 25, the BIG EAST Championship was a race of
national significance.
In the women's race, Villanova's Tollefson and Carmen Douma (17:12) finished first and second. Douma's time placed
her 15th on the fastest BIG EAST times list at Van Cortlandt. Georgetown senior all-American Kate Landau placed third
(17:15), followed by Angie Graham of Boston College (17:22), and Providence's Sarah Dupre (17:26). Charity Wachera
of West Virginia was sixth (17:43), followed by Kristen Gordon of Georgetown (17:49), and Rachel Hixson (17:50) and
Dana Ostrander (17:52) of Providence. Rounding out the top 10 was Ann Baldelli of Boston College (17:59).
No. 6 Providence won the team crown by placing three runners, Dupre, Hixson, and Ostrander, in the top 10. Senior
Maria McCambridge (13th) and junior Gladys Ganiel (17th) rounded out the Friars' scorers. Only six points behind, No.
10 Georgetown was the BIG EAST runner-up for the second straight year, led by Landau, Gordon, Michelle Meuthing
(12th), Lorena Adams (14th), and Amy Akstin (22nd). No. 11 Boston College was third, paced by Graham, Baldelli,
Shannon Smith (11th), Kyla Barbour (23rd), and Darby Rice (27th).
For the men, Connecticut's Travis Landreth (24:49) became the first Husky to win an individual BIG EAST cross
country title. Providence's Ben Noad was the runner-up (25:00). Justin McCarthy (25:04) of Georgetown was third and
led a pack of six runners all within seven seconds of each other. Jason Rexing (25:06) and Antonio Arce (25:08) led the
champion Irish, followed by Dean Smith of Villanova (25:09), Eric Savoth of Georgetown (25:10), and West Virginia's
Mac Knapp (25:11). Providence junior Zack Ventress (25:18) and Ryan Maxwell of Notre Dame (25:22) round out the
top 10.
No. 9 Notre Dame, with 50 points, took team honors by placing three runners in the top 10 and five in the top 20. Ryan
Shay (11th) and Anthony Alt (20th) round out the Irish scorers. Providence was runner-up, led by Noad and Ventress in
the top 10. Finishing next for the Friars were Keith Kelly (14th), Rick Bush (18th), and Larry Morrissey (31st). No. 17
Georgetown placed third behind McCarthy and Savoth. Corey Smith (21st), David Rodriguez (23rd), and Jon Evan
Hornsby (28th) also placed for the Hoyas.
NCAA District Meets are November 15 and the NCAA Championship is November 24, at the Furman University Golf
Course in Greenville, S.C. The Villanova women won a record six NCAA titles from 1989-94 until Providence won in
1995. Villanova was the national runner-up in 1996.
Men's Team Scores Women's Team Scores
1. Notre Dame 4 5 10 11 20 = 50 1. Providence 5 8 9 13 17 = 52
2. Providence 2 9 14 18 31 = 74 2. Georgetown 3 7 12 14 22 = 58
3. Georgetown 3 7 21 23 28 = 82 3. Boston College 4 10 11 23 27 = 75
4. West Virginia 8 12 16 25 41 = 102 4. Notre Dame 16 18 29 31 32 = 126
5. Boston College 17 19 22 24 35 = 117 5. West Virginia 6 19 30 39 43 = 137
6. Villanova 6 13 15 40 54 = 128 6. Villanova 1 2 20 66 78 = 167
7. Connecticut 1 26 34 50 55 = 166 7. Rutgers 21 33 42 45 56 = 197
8. Seton Hall 27 39 51 72 76 = 265 8. Syracuse 28 46 50 54 69 = 247
9. Syracuse 48 49 61 63 64 = 285 9. Miami 26 40 41 65 76 = 248
10. Rutgers 47 57 62 65 71 = 302 10. Connecticut 15 38 64 75 79 = 271
11. Pittsburgh 43 58 66 68 73 = 308 11. St. John's 35 36 63 68 74 = 276
12. Miami 42 52 70 77 83 = 324 12. Pittsburgh 51 52 53 70 72 = 298
13. St. John's 29 59 74 79 86 = 327 13. Seton Hall 59 60 61 67 71 = 318
Top 15 Men's Finishers/All-BIG EAST Team Top 15 Women's Finishers/All-BIG EAST Team
1. Travis Landreth, UC 24:49 1. Carrie Tollefson, VU 16:54
2. Ben Noad, PC 25:00 2. Carmen Douma, VU 17:12
3. Justin McCarthy, GU 25:04 3. Kate Landau, GU 17:15
4. Jason Rexing, ND 25:06 4. Angie Graham, BC 17:22
5. Antonio Arce, ND 25:08 5. Sarah Dupre, PC 17:26
6. Dean Smith, VU 25:09 6. Charity Wachera, WVU 17:43
7. Eric Savoth, GU 25:10 7. Kristen Gordon, GU 17:49
8. Mac Knapp, WVU 25:11 8. Rachel Hixson, PC 17:50
9. Zack Ventress, PC 25:18 9. Dana Ostrander, PC 17:52
10. Ryan Maxwell, ND 25:22 10. Ann Baldelli, BC 17:59
11. Ryan Shay, ND 25:24 11. Shannon Smith, BC 18:05
12. Steve Bohan, WVU 25:26 12. Michelle Muething, GU 18:06
13. Scott Tantino, VU 25:29 13. Maria McCambridge, PC 18:08
14. Keith Kelly, PC 25:32 14. Lorena Adams, GU 18:10
15. Coulby Dunn, VU 25:34 15. Alison Ciosek, UC 18:12
Top 10 Men's Times at the BIG EAST Top 10 Women's Times at the BIG EAST
Championships at Van Cortlandt Park Championships at Van Cortlandt Park
1. (1990) Keith Dowling, UP 24:11 1. (1989)Vicki Huber, VU 16:35*
2. (1990) Andy Ball, UC 24:21 2. (1997) Carrie Tollefson, VU 16:54
3. (1990) Steve Holman, GU 24:29 3. (1993) Amy Rudolph, PC 16:57
(1993) Louie Quintana, VU 24:29 4. (1989) Sonia O'Sullivan, VU 16:59
5. (1995) Mark Carroll, PC 24:30 5. (1993) Carole Zajac, VU 17:04
6. (1993) Andy Keith, PC 24:35 (1995) Marie McMahon, PC 17:04
7. (1990) Terrance Mahon, VU 24:36 7. (1990) Nnenna Lynch, VU 17:07
8. (1989) John Trautmann, GU 24:38 8. (1993) Jennifer Rhines, VU 17:09
9. (1991) Terrance Mahon, VU 24:42 (1991) Sonia O'Sullivan, VU 17:09
(1989) Peter Sherry, GU 24:42 10. (1997) Carmen Douma, VU 17:12
* - VCP Collegiate record
