Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State Runs Well at NCAA Pre-Nationals
October 18, 2008 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Despite leaving some of its top competitors at home, the Oklahoma State men's cross country team fared well Saturday at the NCAA Pre-Nationals, hosted by Indiana State University. The women's team also performed well at the event, continuing its upward trend.
Freshman German Fernandez, junior John Kosgei and freshman Colby Lowe highlighted the day for the men's team, taking the top three places in the 8,000-meter Men's Open Race with times of 23:34.7, 23:44.4 and 23:57.5, respectively.
“I felt like we were able to run really well today,” Fernandez said. “I'm excited to see what our team can do in the future.”
The Cowboys also competed in the Men's Blue Race, where they ran to a 23rd-place team finish without many of their top runners.
Sophomore Sean Fleming had the best Cowboy finish in the race, placing 87th with a time of 24:48.3.
The Oklahoma State women's team sent its top seven runners to compete in the Women's Blue Race, where the Cowgirls ran to a 13th-place finish.
Four Cowgirls finished the 6,000-meter course in less than 22 minutes, which doubles the number of Cowgirls that surpassed that mark at their last event.
Sophomore Mihaela Susa and juniors Tone Hjalmarsen, Leah Schroeder and Natalia Kovtun finished in 21:15.4, 21:32.9, 21:34.5 and 21: 55.6, respectively.
The Oklahoma State men's and women's cross country teams return to action on Nov. 1, as they travel to Ames, Iowa, to compete in the 2008 Big 12 Championships.
2008 NCAA Pre-Nationals – Terre Haute, Ind. – Oct. 18, 2008
Men's Open Race
1 German Fernandez 23:34.7
2 John Kosgei 23:44.4
3 Colby Lowe 23:57.5
42 Brad McNiff 25:38.1
79 Peter Wood 26:20.8
Men's Blue Race
87 Sean Fleming 24:48.3
98 Ryan Little 24:54.4
110 Clay Mayes 25:00.1
123 Brian Gosnell 25:05.7
157 Johnathan Stublaski 25:22.0
184 Ryan Birkholz 25:34.6
207 Josh Mathis 25:46.8
Team: 23 Oklahoma State
Women's Blue Race
45 Mihaela Susa 21:15.4
76 Tone Hjalmarsen 21:32.9
79 Leah Schroeder 21:34.5
107 Natalia Kovtun 21:55.6
124 Victoria Fratczak 22:07.4
171 Kristen Gillespie 22:31.9
209 Brittani Johnson 22:54.4
Team: 13 Oklahoma State
