Nov. 21, 2004

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Missouri Assistant Cross Country Coach Rebecca Wilmes was named the Midwest Coach of the Year last night at the 2004 NCAA Cross Country Championship banquet in Terre Haute, Ind. The award was presented to Wilmes by the Women's Intercollegiate Cross Country Coaches of America. Wilmes' will coach the No. 9 nationally-ranked women's cross country team Monday in the team's ninth NCAA Championship appearance in ten years.

Wilmes led the women's team to their second NCAA Midwest Region title in three years - and their fifth in nine years - last weekend in Peoria, Ill., with the Tigers' best score in 23 years. In 2002, the Tigers also won the Midwest title, and Wilmes was voted for the award. In January, Wilmes will be one of six inducted into the Missouri Intercollegiate Hall of Fame in recognition of her prominence as a Missouri Student-Athlete.

The women will run their six-kilometer race tomorrow morning at 10 a.m., central time. Missouri's Tim Ross will run in the men's race to follow at 11:15 a.m.

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