Smith Announces 2009 XC Class

Aug. 6, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. — Head coach Martin Smith announced the 2009 University of Oklahoma cross country signing class Thursday in preparation for the upcoming season. The class of five men and two women covers six states and consists of two junior college transfers from Paradise Valley Community College and five freshmen.

Highlighting the men's group is Alex Muntefering (Parkston, S.D.), who recovered from a severe farming injury in the spring of his sophomore year that resulted in losing half of the big toe on his left foot to emerge as the top distance runner in South Dakota. Muntefering owns five South Dakota state titles.

Another top distance runner that suffered a non-running injury, Bobby Nicolls (Parker, Colo.) had his 2009 track season wiped out by a snow skiing injury, but finished 11th in the 2009 U.S. Junior Cross Country Championships prior to the injury.

Muntefering and Nicolls will be joined by the two PVCC athletes who helped lead their program to the 2008 NJCAA Cross Country Championship. The two, Jeremy Sudbury (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Eric Harasyn (Sierra Vista, Ariz.), have combined for five NJCAA Track and Field All-America honors along with the 2008 XC team title.

Patrick Gomez (Auburn, Ala.) rounds out the group as one of Alabama's top men's distance runners, finishing second in the 800 at the 2009 Alabama State Championships.

On the women's side, Erin Hargens (Sioux Falls, S.D.) won the 2008 South Dakota state title in the 1,600-meter run and helped lead her program to the 2008 cross country team title later in the year. Hargens also recorded top-14 finishes in the last two Nike Team National Heartland Regionals.

Hargens will be joined by Colorado distance runner Tati Ogan (Fort Collins, Colo.). Ogan helped lead her program to the team title in the 2008 Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional.

2009 Oklahoma Cross Country Signing Class

Patrick Gomez – Distance
Auburn, Ala. (Auburn)

Finished second in the 800 at the 2009 Alabama State Championships with a time of 1:56.37 … Also finished fourth in the 3,200-meter run at the meet with a time of 9:37.06 … Finished fifth in the 800 at the 2009 Dekalb Atlanta International Prep Classic with a time of 1:55.34 … Recorded a time of 9:33.21 in the two mile at the 2009 Mobile Challenge.

Eric Harasyn – Distance
Sierra Vista, Ariz. (Paradise Community College)

Took second in the 3,000-meter run at the 2009 NJCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 8:29.79 … Earned bronze in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2009 NJCAA Outdoor Championships with a time of 9:16.85 … Also finished 13th in the 5,000-meter run at the event with a time of 15:50.40 … Finished 16th at the 2008 NJCAA Cross Country Championships to help team to a NJCAA title … Finished 28th at the 2007 NJCAA XC Championships …. Holds three PVCC program records (indoor 3,000, 1,500 and 5,000) … Earned 2008 NJCAA Region I honors after finishing fourth in the regional championship.

Erin Hargens – Distance
Sioux Falls, S.D. (Roosevelt)

Won the 2008 South Dakota State Championship in the 1600 (5:16.39) and finished third in the 800 (2:21.25) at the event … Claimed third in both the 800 (2:25.44) and 1,600 (5:20.45) at the 2009 South Dakota State Championships … Finished eighth at the 2008 Nike Team National Heartland Regional Championship, crossing the line in 18:37.07 … Took 10th in the 2008 South Dakota Cross Country Championships as she helped lead her program to the team title … Finished 14th at the 2007 Nike Team National Heartland Regional Championship with a time of 19:14.30 … Won the 800 (2:25.64) at the 2008 Mid-America Winter Track and Field Classic … Named Academic All-State.

Alex Muntefering – Distance
Parkston, S.D. (Parkston)

Recovered from severe farming injury in the spring of sophomore year that resulted in losing half of the big toe on his left foot to emerge as the top distance runner in South Dakota … Finished eighth in the 800 at the 2009 U.S. Junior Championships with a time of 1:54.73 after recording a time of 1:51.97 in the event's prelims … Owns five South Dakota State Championships … Won both the 800 (1:53.76) and 1600 (4:17.59) at the 2009 South Dakota State Championships … Won the 2008 State Championship in the 800 and the 2006 title in the 1600 … Won the 2006 South Dakota Class A Cross Country State Championship, covering the 5,000-meter course in a time of 15:57.34.

Bobby Nicolls – Distance
Parker, Colo. (Regis)

Suffered a snow skiing injury that wiped out 2009 track season … Prior to injury, finished 11th in the 2009 U.S. Junior Cross Country Championships with a time of 25:02 … Finished fourth in the 2008 Colorado Cross Country State Championships to help lead team to a second-place finish … Won the two-mile run at the 2008 Midwest Distance Gala with a time of 9:03.04 … Finished second in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:19.66 at the 2008 Runners Roost of Fort Collins Invitational … Finished 18th at the 2007 Nike Cross Nationals.

Tati Ogan – Distance
Fort Collins, Colo. (Fort Collins)

Took 20th in the 2008 Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional with a time of 18:47.10 to help team to team title … Won the 2009 Colorado Region 2 Championships in the 800- (2:15.23) and 1,600-meter run (5:12.66) … Took 15th in the 2008 Colorado Cross Country Championships with a time of 19:20.90 … Finished 94th at the 2008 Nike Cross Country Championships with a time of 19:10.20 … Finished second in the 1,600-meter run at the 2008 Colorado State Championships with a time of 5:04.36 … Also finished third in the 800 (2:15.35) at the event.

Jeremy Sudbury – Distance
Las Vegas, Nev. (Paradise Community College)

Finished sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:18.69) and eighth in the 5,000-meter run (15:23.42) at the 2009 NJCAA Outdoor Championships … Took seventh in the 3,000-meter run at the 2009 NJCAA Indoor Championships … Finished 28th and helped lead team to the 2008 NJCAA cross country title … Earned 2008 NJCAA Region I honors after finishing second in the regional championship … Holds the PVCC program record in the indoor 5,000 (14:52.89) … Also NJCAA Academic All-American … Finished 10th in the 5,000-meter run at the 2007 Nike Indoor National meet.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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