Brooks Earns All-America at Cross Country Championships
11/19/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Nov. 19, 2001
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Senior Ann Marie Brooks might not have had a fairy tale season, but it ended in story-book fashion when Brooks placed 29th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships Monday at Furman University to earn her first All-American honor in cross country.
"I wanted to be All-American in cross country so bad and this was the least-likely year for it to happen," said Brooks, who has dealt with an ankle injury throughout the season. "When I finished, other coaches were asking me how I did it -- I really didn't have any answer for them."
Brooks, who ran the 6K in 21:18, is the first All-American in Missouri cross country since 1990. That year, Susan Bliss placed third at the national meet.
"It's a huge deal for Missouri cross country to have an All-American," assistant cross country coach Rebecca Wilmes said. "After a very frustrating year for her, not having a dream season and still not giving up...it's unbelievable. She keeps on running."
Brooks herself did not know how big a deal 29th-place was when she stepped across the finish line.
"When I finished, I was just thinking 'I'm done, I'm finished,' and then they started telling me I was an All-American," Brooks said. "When they told me, I couldn't believe it."
Wilmes said Brooks' past experiences helped her achieve her goals at Mondays' race.
"She's been here four years and been an All-American in track," Wilmes said. "It's going to the line and knowing how to run. She ran the race pretty perfect, actually."
Brooks becomes the 11th Missouri athlete to be an All-American in cross country history. She is only the fourth woman to accomplish the feat, along with former MU athletes Bliss, Sabrina Dornhoefer and Andrea Fischer.
"We are very excited about Ann Marie's athletic honors and continue to commend her hard work in academics," Missouri Athletic Director Mike Alden said.
