Women's Cross Country Team Earns Bid to NCAA Championships
11/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Nov. 17, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's cross country team received an at-large bid to the 2008 NCAA Cross Country Championships which will take place Monday, Nov. 24 in Terre Haute, Ind. The Spartans, making their 10th-consecutive appearance, were one of 13 squads to receive an at-large bid and will join the top-two teams from each of the nine regions for a total of 31 teams.
As a team, the Spartans finished third in last weekend's NCAA Great Lakes Regional while senior Nicole Bush took first place, individually.
"We're excited to get back to nationals," said director of track & field and cross country Walt Drenth. "I think we're yet to race at our full potential this year. We hope next weekend will be a lot of fun."
Last season, the Spartans finished fifth place at the NCAA Championship which was their second-best finish in school history.
The Spartans have two first-place team finishes this year at the Colonial Inter-Regional and Notre Dame Invitational.
"Each week this year, we've had a different person step up for us and if we can get everyone to step up at once we should have a great outcome," Drenth said.
The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) also honored Bush, senior Lisa Senakiewich and sophomore Emily Langenberg with All-Region accolades. Bush took first at last weekend's regional meet while Senakiewich and Langenberg finished sixth and 15th, respectively. For Bush, it is her second All-Regional honor while it is the first for both Senakiewich and Langenberg.
"Lisa and Nicole have just been exceptional for us this season," said Drenth. "Emily has also been great."
The women's NCAA Championship race will take place at approximately 12:48 p.m. EST on Nov. 24 and will be broadcast live on CBS College Sports Network and streamed online at NCAA.com.
