Nov. 20, 2009

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Tiger freshman Kaitie Vanatta (Littleton, Colo.) is set for the 2009 NCAA National Cross Country Championships, which will be held Monday, Nov. 23, in Terre Haute, Ind. Vanatta earned an at-large berth to the National Championships after finishing eighth overall at the NCAA Midwest Regional, held last Saturday in Springfield, Mo. Gates for the race open to the public at 9 a.m. and the women will run the 6K Championship race at 11:58 a.m. (CT). The men's 10K race will be run before the women's at 11:08 a.m. (CT).

Vanatta is the first Tiger on the women's side to represent Mizzou at the national race since the entire women's team took 11th overall back in 2004. Vanatta's NCAA Championship berth is also gives Mizzou six individual at-large selections to the NCAA Championships in the past six seasons.

In what has been one of the most successful freshman seasons in Mizzou cross country history, Vanatta has earned All-Big 12 honors after placing 11th overall at the Big 12 Championships and she followed that with an eighth-place nod at the NCAA Midwest Regional, earning All-Region honors. She is the first freshman All-Big 12 honoree at Mizzou since Valerie Lauver earned the honor back in 2002. She is only the second Tiger in program history to be named to the All-Big 12 team as freshman.

Vanatta is one of 407 student-athletes that represent 62 different Division I institutions at the event. For a complete recap and results from Monday's race, check back with www.MUTigers.com.