Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys, Cowgirls head to NCAA cross country nationals
April 06, 2003 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
After the fifth-place finish at the District V meet, the Cowgirls were not planning on going to the national meet. The top two teams in each district automatically compete in nationals. However, wild-cards are offered to 13 teams that aren't in the top two in their district.
Cowgirl Head Coach Catrina Acosta said the team was offered a spot at nationals after a District V representative, Dick Lee of Iowa State, voted for OSU to run.
"I got the call at 1:30 p.m. on Monday," Acosta said. "I feel very luck to be invited."
This is the first year for the NCAA to take 13 at-large teams. In previous years, only seven teams were selected, Acosta said.
"In 1996, we were the eighth team picked, so we didn't get to go. This year, although we were on of the last teams picked, at least we're going," Acosta said.
Currently, the Cowgirls are ranked 30th nationally in women's cross country, Acosta said.
"Being in the 30th spot isn't that bad. I think everybody's pretty happy about it," Acosta said.
At the beginning of the season, Acosta commented that her main goal was to make it to nationals this year, after last year's disappointing season.
"Our main goal was to go. I tried to tell the girls to focus on being in the top three in our conference. But, they said they didn't care. They just wanted to make it to the big show. And, we got there. We did it," Acosta said.
The Cowboys, currently ranked eighth in the country, earned their spot to the national meet after winning the Nov. 14 District V meet in Wichita, Kan.
Cowboy Head Coach Dick Weis said he was disappointed with the team's 14th-place finish last year, and he hopes to do better this year.
"We didn't run aggressively," Weis said. "We just didn't have a good day. The kids were disappointed because the two years before that, we had placed third and fourth."
Weis said the course selected for last year's meet had a lot to do with the team's performance.
"Last year's course had too many turns for our team. This year's course is actually harder, but it is more suited for us with the ups and downs instead of the turns."
It's a tradition for OSU men's cross country to compete in nationals, Weis said.
"The kids set the standard. Just getting to nationals is not acceptable for them. What is acceptable is going there and doing well. Their attitude is that we are going to go every year. That's just a fact," Weis said.
Weis said he was surprised with Senior Gitogo Churu's performance in districts.
"Gitogo was actually running ahead of Chuck Sloan the whole race. But, Chuck caught him at the every end and they finished within seconds of each other. Now, the race before that, Gitogo didn't run very well," Weis said.
Weis said even after having five men injured this season, the team is still very strong.
"These men average 80 miles a week running. They work hard. They are ready," Weis said.
