INDIANAPOLIS - Villanova University and Oklahoma State University successfully defended the women's and men's team titles at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships Monday in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Windy conditions met the top college women in the U.S. in the first race of the day at the Lavern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. Pre-race favorite Jordan Hasay of the University of Oregon was well positioned in the lead pack throughout the race, as Texas Tech's Rose Tanui lead the pack by 10 meters.
With a kilometer to go, Hasay, Sheila Reid of Villanova and Georgetown's Emily Infeld overtook early leader Rose Tanui of Texas Tech. Making the final turn to the finish, Hasay opened a small lead and looked to be pulling away from Reid and Infeld, but the wind took its toll as both passed Hasay in the final 200 meters.Reid was timed in 20 minutes, 6.9 seconds for the six-kilometer course, leading Villanova to its second straight women's title. Infeld was timed in 20:09.2 and Hasay was timed in 2:013.0.
Villanova won the team competition by 34 points over Florida State, scoring 120 points. Texas Tech was third with 165 points.
In the men's championship, Sam Chelanga of Liberty University took control early and looked to be on his way to a relatively easy repeat victory in leading Stephen Sambu of Arizona by one second at halfway. As Sambu fought to maintain contact with the defending champion, the pair passed 8 km together and even put a step on Chelanga, but as they made the final turn onto the long straightaway to the finish, Chelanga found another gear and pulled away to win his second cross country title in 29:22.2. Sambu took the runner-up position in 29:26.5 and Oregon junior Luke Puskedra rounded out the top-three in 29:38.0.
In the team competition, Oklahoma State placed five men in the top-thirty and three in the top-ten to score 73 points, defeating Florida State by 120.
For more information on the 2010 NCAA Cross Country Championships visit www.ncaa.com.
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