North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Women Stack Front to Clinch Race of Champions
9/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Sept. 26, 2003
CARY., N.C. - NC State scored a race low of 45 points to clinch the Race of Champions at the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary on hot and steamy Friday evening. Led by sophomore Julia Lucas, the women placed three runners in the top 10, and all five scorers in the top 15 to clinch the team title. The men finished eighth with a 209 in a talent-laden field. All-American Andy Smith took 11th place to lead the squad.
UNC's Shalane Flanagan led her team to second by winning the individual medalist honors in the Race of Champions, and Northern Arizona's Travis Laird took top honors in the men's race. Northern Arizona went on to win the men's Race of Champions with a score of 114.
NC State's Lucas finished fifth overall, merely seconds ahead of teammate Kristin Price, who took sixth. Lucas entered the chute with a time of 17:36.8. Renee Gunning crossed the line in ninth, with Lucinda Hull and Josianne Lauber rounding out the scoring five in 11th- and 15th-place, respectively.
Kara Price finished in 26th and Megan Coombs took 48th.
In the featured men's race, Smith clocked in with a time of 26:06.2. Devin Swann finished three seconds later and took 13th. Allen Bader, running in his first race with the front line, was the third Pack harrier to complete the race, taking 43rd. Ricky Brookshire was 54th and David Christian took 89th. John Henderson finished in 126th.
The Wolfpack also looked great in the University/Open races. The women's "B" squad finished second behind No. 1 BYU with 45 points. BYU placed four scorers at the top of the leaderboard and finished with a team total of 16.
Amy Arnold scored fifth for the Wolfpack to lead the "B" team with a time of 18:24.7. Erin Swain scored seventh and Claudin Hull in ninth, placing three runners in the top 10. Abigail Nelkie and Ashlee Seaton took 11th and 13th. Non-scorers for the squad were Janelle Vadnais in 14th and Michelle Popple in 17th.
Running unattached, Sarah Powell finished in fourth with a time of 18:19.2. Kristina Roth crossed in ninth. Leslie Jimison and Kelly Brown crossed the finish line in 23rd and 24th, Joanna Rodgers was 54th, and Liz Jackson finished 62nd.
The men's University/Open race was dominated by young Wolfpack talent. Wesley Smith won the race with a time of 26:35.6, and led three teammates across the line a short distance behind him. Bryce Ruiz crossed in second, Bobby Mack third and Stephen Furst fourth. Kurtis Marlowe was seventh and Colin Cronin 29th. Lance Hall and Phillip Stafford were 35th and 36th.
The Wolfpack will return to the course on October 18 for the Pre-NCAA meet in Waterloo, Iowa. Both the men's and women's squads are ranked No. 14 in the nation.
Complete Results
Women's Race of Champions Results - 5K
Women's 5K Run - University and Open
Men's Race of Champions - 8K
Men's 8K Run - University and Open
