Oklahoma State University Athletics
Friday, November 13
Lawrence, KS
11 a.m.
Oklahoma State University
vs
NCAA Regional Championships
OSU Prepares for Regional Championships
November 12, 2015 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
A Preview of the 2015 Midwest Regional Championships
With less than a fortnight left in the Cross Country season, OSU sends its best to the NCAA Midwest Regionals to secure a spot at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Historically, the Midwest Regionals have been filled with success for the Cowboys. With four Regional titles in four years, the expectations are high for the Pokes.
While the Cowgirls do not have a regional title since 2005, the expectations are equally as high after taking home the Big 12 crown for the first time and breaking a 29-year conference title drought.
Since 2010, both of OSU's squads have finished in the top-three with the exception of last year's Cowgirl team that finished fifth, but still produced a top-three individual finisher. In addition to winning four straight regional championships, the Cowboys have taken nine of the last 10 Regional titles and 13 total since 1997. The last women's regional championship in 2005 gave OSU its first sweep of the regional titles.
The Midwest Regionals begin Friday at noon with the women's 6K race, and the men's 10K race is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in Lawrence, Kansas. Results will be available online at kuathletics.com and will be provided by Prime Timing. A full recap can be found on okstate.com following both races. Follow @run4okstate on Twitter to follow the team's run to the NCAA Championships.
Entries
Oklahoma State in the Polls
For the first time in school history, both the Cowboys and Cowgirls will head into the Cross Country Midwest Regional as the No. 1 teams in the region.
The honor for the Cowboys is nothing new, as Dave Smith's Pokes have been the No. 1 team from the region every week since Week 1 of 2011, the longest streak in the nation, spanning 38 weeks. The last time the Cowboys were displaced from the No. 1 spot was the final week of the 2010 season when in-state rival OU claimed the honor.
As for the Cowgirls, despite being one of the top teams in the region over the past five years, they have only had the privilege of begin No.1 just twice. Big 12 rival Iowa State, who had been No. 1 since Week 5 in 2013 gave up the spot to the Cowgirls after OSU defeated them in the Big 12 Championships in October, despite Cyclone runners finishing first and second.
At last year's Midwest Regional in Peoria, Illinois, the Cowboys took the men's crown, while the Cowgirls finished fifth. The win gave the Cowboys their fourth consecutive Regional championship. With the Cowgirls' finish, it marked their fifth straight season with a top-five finish.
A Look Back to the 2014 Midwest Regional Championships
The Oklahoma State men's cross country team finished 14 points ahead of second-place Tulsa at the 2014 NCAA Midwest Regional Championship in Peoria, Illinois, to give the Cowboys their fourth-consecutive regional title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.
Kirubel Erassa led the way for the Oklahoma State men's squad, recording a first-place time of 30:09.5 in the men's 10K competition. The Cowboys opened the race with a conservative approach, but took the lead at the 5K-mark and never looked back, placing all seven runners in the top 35.
Erassa's first-place effort was backed by Craig Nowak, who finished in eighth with a run of 30:17.6, as well as strong performances from Shane Moskowitz (11th), Brian Gohlke (21st) and David Osborn (22nd).
With the win, Erassa became the first Cowboy to earn an individual title at the regional championships since Colby Lowe's first-place finish in 2010.
On the women's side, Monika Juodeskaite repeated her all-region performance at the 2013 meet with a third-place effort in the women's 6K race, handing her an individual qualification to the NCAA Championships. The Cowgirls finished fifth with 191 points.
With less than a fortnight left in the Cross Country season, OSU sends its best to the NCAA Midwest Regionals to secure a spot at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Historically, the Midwest Regionals have been filled with success for the Cowboys. With four Regional titles in four years, the expectations are high for the Pokes.
While the Cowgirls do not have a regional title since 2005, the expectations are equally as high after taking home the Big 12 crown for the first time and breaking a 29-year conference title drought.
Since 2010, both of OSU's squads have finished in the top-three with the exception of last year's Cowgirl team that finished fifth, but still produced a top-three individual finisher. In addition to winning four straight regional championships, the Cowboys have taken nine of the last 10 Regional titles and 13 total since 1997. The last women's regional championship in 2005 gave OSU its first sweep of the regional titles.
The Midwest Regionals begin Friday at noon with the women's 6K race, and the men's 10K race is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in Lawrence, Kansas. Results will be available online at kuathletics.com and will be provided by Prime Timing. A full recap can be found on okstate.com following both races. Follow @run4okstate on Twitter to follow the team's run to the NCAA Championships.
Entries
Oklahoma State in the Polls
For the first time in school history, both the Cowboys and Cowgirls will head into the Cross Country Midwest Regional as the No. 1 teams in the region.
The honor for the Cowboys is nothing new, as Dave Smith's Pokes have been the No. 1 team from the region every week since Week 1 of 2011, the longest streak in the nation, spanning 38 weeks. The last time the Cowboys were displaced from the No. 1 spot was the final week of the 2010 season when in-state rival OU claimed the honor.
As for the Cowgirls, despite being one of the top teams in the region over the past five years, they have only had the privilege of begin No.1 just twice. Big 12 rival Iowa State, who had been No. 1 since Week 5 in 2013 gave up the spot to the Cowgirls after OSU defeated them in the Big 12 Championships in October, despite Cyclone runners finishing first and second.
At last year's Midwest Regional in Peoria, Illinois, the Cowboys took the men's crown, while the Cowgirls finished fifth. The win gave the Cowboys their fourth consecutive Regional championship. With the Cowgirls' finish, it marked their fifth straight season with a top-five finish.
| Men's Midwest Regional Top 15 | Women's Midwest Regional Top 15 |
| 1. Oklahoma State | 1. Oklahoma State |
| 2. Tulsa | 2. Iowa State |
| 3. Illinois | 3. Minnesota |
| 4. Oklahoma | 4. Kansas |
| 5. Minnesota | 5. Bradley |
| 6. Iowa State | 6. Tulsa |
| 7. Bradley | 7. Oklahoma |
| 8. Kansas | 8. Missouri |
| 9. South Dakota State | 9. Wichita State |
| 10. Missouri | 10. Illinois |
| 11. Iowa | 11. Illinois State |
| 12. Nebraska | 12. Loyola-Chicago |
| 13. Illinois State | 13. Iowa |
| 14. Wichita State | 14. Kansas State |
| 15. Eastern Illinois | 15. South Dakota |
A Look Back to the 2014 Midwest Regional Championships
The Oklahoma State men's cross country team finished 14 points ahead of second-place Tulsa at the 2014 NCAA Midwest Regional Championship in Peoria, Illinois, to give the Cowboys their fourth-consecutive regional title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.
Kirubel Erassa led the way for the Oklahoma State men's squad, recording a first-place time of 30:09.5 in the men's 10K competition. The Cowboys opened the race with a conservative approach, but took the lead at the 5K-mark and never looked back, placing all seven runners in the top 35.
Erassa's first-place effort was backed by Craig Nowak, who finished in eighth with a run of 30:17.6, as well as strong performances from Shane Moskowitz (11th), Brian Gohlke (21st) and David Osborn (22nd).
With the win, Erassa became the first Cowboy to earn an individual title at the regional championships since Colby Lowe's first-place finish in 2010.
On the women's side, Monika Juodeskaite repeated her all-region performance at the 2013 meet with a third-place effort in the women's 6K race, handing her an individual qualification to the NCAA Championships. The Cowgirls finished fifth with 191 points.
Players Mentioned
/ Cowboy Cross Country & Track
Distance
/ Cowboy Cross Country & Track
Distance
/ Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
/ Cowboy Cross Country & Track
Distance
/ Cowboy Cross Country & Track
/ Cowboy Cross Country & Track
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