Sept. 20, 2005

Columbia, Mo. - Senior Kristin Hansen (Milford, Iowa), a member of Missouri's 19th-ranked women's cross country team, earned her first career Big 12 Cross Country Runner of the Week accolade today after helping the Tigers to their second straight team title of the 2005-06 season at the Southern Stampede last Saturday. This marks the second straight week that a member of the MU cross country team has been recognized as the league's runner of the week. Senior Tim Ross (Alto, Mich.) received the nod last Tuesday.

Competing in the 5K race on the Missouri Southern Cross Country Course, Hansen finished fourth out of 291 competitors in 17:27.30 and was the first of her Tiger teammates to cross the line. The top 10 finish was the fourth of Hansen's four-year career and marked the first time that she finished first of her teammates.

The last Missouri cross country woman to earn the Big 12 weekly honor was Amanda Bales (Bettendorf, Iowa) for the week of Oct. 5, 2004.

The Missouri cross country team will travel to South Bend, Ind., Friday, Sept. 30, for the 50th running of the Notre Dame Invitational. The women's 5K race is slated for a 3:15 p.m. (CT) start, with the men set to begin at 4 p.m.

Big 12 Runner of the Week-Men
September 7- Jon Von Letscher, Texas
September 13- Tim Ross, Missouri
September 19-Jake Morse, Texas

Big 12 Runner of the Week-Women
September 7-Kayte Tranel, Nebraska
September 13-Brittany Brockman, Baylor
September 19-Kristin Hansen, Missouri