Missouri
MissouriChallenge
Missouri Cross Country Takes Home Opener
9/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Sept. 8, 2000
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The University of Missouri men's and women's cross country teams kicked off the 2000 season with a bang, taking the Missouri Cross Country Challenge at the A.L. Gustin Golf Course here Friday evening.
The women, who are ranked 20th in the nation, took places 1-5 and six of the top-eight. Mizzou scored 15 points and tallied a total average time of 18:37.47 to beat Southwest Missouri State (47 points) and Mid America Nazarene (71 points). Sophomore Kerry Hils took first place with a time of 18:21.88. Senior Katie Meyer (18:27.31), juniors Ann Marie Brooks (18:28.76) and Katie Sekinger (18:51.46) and sophomore Amy Chipman (18:57.94) followed her in places two through five. Freshman Katie Bonguli took eighth and finished with a mark of 19:28.66. Sophomore Amy Semith (20:58.35) finished 13th, while freshmen Sarah McCann (20:51.09) and Amanda Holferty (20:06.77) finished 12th and 16th, respectively.
The MU men, ranked 25th nationally, scored 26 points en route to the top spot. Missouri beat out Southwest Missouri (34 points) and Mid America Nazarene (76 points) for the home sweep. Senior Nick Smith (24:59.19) led the Tigers with a first place finish, while junior Mike Pitts (25:22.36) took second. Juniors Steve Wade (26:11.68) and Ryan Fitzgerald (26:19.88) placed fifth and seventh. Senior Lee Tittle (27:11.80) and freshman Ryan Hampton (27:23.68) crossed the finish line in spots 11 and 12 for Mizzou with junior Jared Pinkston (28:13.49) and freshman Matt Whitehead (28:40.81) crossing in spots 17 and 18.
"This was what we hoped to accomplish in the first meet. It was a great opener and gives us something to build on in the future," remarked Head Coach Jared Wilmes.
Next up for the Tigers is a trip is the University of Minnesota Invitational Sat., Sept. 23.
