Oct. 28, 2001
NORMAN, Okla. -- The Missouri cross country men and women could not repeat the third place finishes each team had in 2000, but the women's seventh place finish and the men's ninth place finish Saturday at the Big 12 Championships is a step in the right direction for the runners.
"On both the men's and women's teams, I think the kids ran hard," head coach Jared Wilmes said. "That's the biggest thing as a coach. We battle really hard and we'll be better because of that down the road."
A highlight of the day was senior Ann Marie Brooks' (St. Joseph, Mo./Central HS) sixth place finish. Brooks ran the 6K in 21:05.1. The finish was the highest Brooks has had -- in 1998, she was 10th at the meet. Earlier in the week, Brooks' ankle was causing some concern and it was unknown if she would be healthy enough to run.
"The plan was to go out a little conservative," Brooks said of her own run. "I was kind of scared on the starting line, but after the first 1000 meters, I felt like I did during any race."
Behind Brooks for the women were junior Amy Chipman in 30th place (21:58.2), junior Kim Moore in 40th (22:29.5), freshman Jill Petersen in 42nd (22:30.1), sophomore Katherine Bonugli in 48th (22:36.5), senior Lisa Buffington in 52nd (22:46.3), freshman Serena Ramsey in 55th (22:49.9), freshman Lesley Smith in 63rd (23:07.2) and junior Becky Froelker in 71st (23:17.0).
The Colorado women won the 6K with 33 points.
Senior Mike Pitts (Springfield, Mo./Central HS) had a situation comparable to Brooks, as he had not been able to train in preparation for the Big 12 Championships with injuries.
"I'm satisfied with how I ran considering I haven't been training much at all the past few weeks," said Pitts, who finished 16th in the race (24:42.2) to lead the men. "I wanted to finish higher, but it's a start."
Behind Pitts were senior Steve Wade in 46th place (25:29.2), senior Ryan Fitzgerald in 57th (25:55.4), junior Timothy Dunne in 71st (26:15.0), sophomore Ryan Hampton in 72nd (26:19.9), freshman Mark Munzlinger in 77th (26:27.0) and freshman Josh Davis in 78th (26:34.0).
The Colorado men won the 8K with a total of 31 points.
Although the teams would have liked to place higher at the meet, Brooks said the teams are improving.
"We did better (at the Big 12 Championships) than we did at Pre-Nationals," Brooks said. "The two most important meets are still coming up. We just have to keep improving."