Fernandez, Oklahoma State Men Win Big 12 Cross Country Championship

Saturday, November 1

Ames, Iowa

9:00 AM

Oklahoma State University

Big 12 Championship

Fernandez, Oklahoma State Men Win Big 12 Cross Country Championship

November 01, 2008 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track

AMES, Iowa Â– The Oklahoma State men's cross country team claimed its first Big 12 championship Saturday at Iowa State University, with freshman German Fernandez leading the way by winning the first men's individual cross country conference championship in school history.

The Cowboys claimed four of the top five spots on the individual list and scored 23 team points, 40 points better than second-place Colorado. In addition to Fernandez's individual crown, junior John Kosgei took third, senior Ryan Vail took fourth and freshman Colby Lowe took fifth. When you add David Chirchir's 13th-place finish, a total of five Cowboy runners placed in the top 15 overall to earn all-Big 12 honors.

“It feels great,” coach Dave Smith said. “The guys ran unbelievably strong. To beat a team like Colorado, who has dominated the conference for the last 12 years, feels incredible.”

Fernandez took first place after running the 8,000-meter course in 23:47.38, the seventh fastest time in school history.

“German had a great race,” Smith said. “The whole group ran well together then he really poured it on at the end. He fought with the guy who has won it the last two years, but he really finished strong in the last 200 meters and was able win it.”

Each of the top four Cowboy finishers had times ranking in the top-10 in school history.

“I'm thrilled with how the team ran,” Smith said. “German was great, but the surprise of the day was Colby Lowe. I knew he was good, but I didn't think he would do as well as he did. If you take out the Oklahoma State guys then he finishes second. He did a great job today.”

This year's Oklahoma State men's cross country team joins the 1960, 1972 and 1995 Cowboy squads as conference champions, while Dave Smith joins Ralph Higgins, Ralph Tate and Dick Weis as conference champion coaches.

Smith said Oklahoma State's performance was a step toward success at the national meet.

“I think we're in good position heading into the national meet,” Smith said. “Oregon still looks like the best team in the country. They look great, but I think we're in a good position to content for the national title.”

The Oklahoma State women's team also competed, running to a seventh-place finish with 168 team points.

Sophomore Mihaela Susa led the way for the Cowgirls, finishing the 6,000-meter course in 13th place with a time of 21:33.75 to earn all-Big 12 honors.

Rounding out the top five finishers for the Cowgirls were juniors Tone Hjalmarsen, Natalia Kovtun and Leah Schroeder and freshman Victoria Fratczak, finishing in 30th , 35th , 42nd and 48th, respectively.

The Oklahoma State men's and women's teams return to action on Nov. 15 in Stillwater, Okla., for the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships.

2008 Big 12 Championships

Men Â– 1st Place

1 German Fernandez 23:47.38

3 John Kosgei 24:00.93

4 Ryan Vail 24:01.53

5 Colby Lowe 24:05.88

13 David Chirchir 24:43.78

17 Matt Barnes-Smith 25:02.28

18 Daniel Watts 25:02.53

Women Â– 7th Place

13 Mihaela Susa 21:33.75