AASU Women's Cross Country Finishes Third At PBAC Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10-23-99

AASU Women's Cross Country Finishes Third At PBAC Championships

Men Finish Fourth – Several Pirates Earn All-Conference Honors

PEMBROKE, N.C. – The AASU women's cross country team finished third at the Peach Belt Athletic Conference championships on Saturday afternoon, led by junior Nikki Garland's second-place overall finish, at the Riverside Country Club in Pembroke, N.C.

Garland finished the 5000 meter course in a time of 18:29.7, twelve seconds behind the individual champion, Marjo Venalainen of Kennesaw State. Sophomore Melanie Clarke finished seventh in a time of 19:26.3, while freshman Jillian Charles finished 10^th in a time of 19:33.0. Garland, Clarke and Charles all earned All-Conference honors, while Charles was also named PBAC Freshman of the Year. Rounding out the individual results for the Pirates were junior Amanda Legesse (21:13.1, 30^th), freshman Marie-Claude Ostiguy (21:26.6, 32^nd) and senior Katie Graham (21:32.8, 33^rd). The Pirates accumulated 81 points, finishing behind team champion Kennesaw State (55) and North Florida (64).

The men finished fourth behind the strong running of freshman Paul McRae, who placed sixth individually in a time of 26:02.6 over the 8000 meter course. McRae earned PBAC Freshman of the Year honors, as well as All-Conference honors. Senior Gary Ginn, who finished 16^th in a time of 26:41.5, joined McRae on the All-Conference squad. Other finishers for the Pirate men included junior Robert Crenshaw (27:04.9, 19^th), senior Tony Menendez (27:23.2, 23^rd) and freshman Drew Korenvaes (29:20.1, 54^th).

The men finished fourth with 116 points, behind team champion Kennesaw State (35), Columbus State (79) and North Florida (83).

The Pirates will next compete at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional in Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday, Nov. 6 to try and advance to the NCAA Division II National Championships. The top team in the men's field and the top two teams in the women's field will advance, as well as the top two individual runners in each bracket.

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