University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Ends Cross Country Season At NCAA Regional :: Seven Sooners post career best marks.

OU Ends Cross Country Season At NCAA Regional :: Seven Sooners post career best marks.
 
 
 

 
Jimmy Buchanan was one of seven Sooners to post a career best in NCAA Regional action.
  
 
OU Ends Cross Country Season At NCAA Regional

Seven Sooners post career best marks.

Nov. 16, 2002

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Junior Jimmy Buchanan led seven Sooners runners who posted career best marks today at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships on the Illinois State Golf Course. Buchanan ran the 10k course in 31:06.76 to finish 43rd. The time was 32 seconds faster than his previous career mark on a 10k course.

His finish, combined with top 50 finishes by Joey McNair and Darren Hutchins, helped the Sooners finish 13th in the team standings, OU's best performance in regional competition in six years. The Sooner women were 23rd in the team standings.

McNair, who had led the Sooners in every other race this season, finished 46th with a time of 31:09.53. Hutchins recorded a career best of 31:12.53 and finished 49th overall. McNair was not at 100 percent after battling illness all week. For Hutchins, the top 50 finish was a huge improvement. In his previous regional performances, Hutchins, a junior, had finished 110th as a sophomore and 142nd as a freshman.

John Mulholland, with a 32:12.30, and Jason Brown, with a 32:42.36, also recorded career best marks for the Sooner men.

Senior Aisha Stringer led the Sooner women for the second time this season. She finished the 6k course with a career best mark of 22:57.21. Amanda Luksetich was the second best runner for the Sooners, finishing with a career best mark of 23:35.85. Emily Leonard also posted a career best as a Sooner, covering the course in 25:54.00.

"I was pleased with the way we performed today," said Sooner coach Rodney Rothoff. "To have seven (of 12) runners post career best marks demonstrates the progress that we are continuing to make. It shows how much they have developed as competitors this season.

"I was pleased that all of our men stepped up and answered the challenge. They performed well. I was disappointed for Joey. Getting sick this week really set him back and the timing could not have been worse. I was pleased with the effort of our women today. They have made a lot of progress this season and it will carry over to the track," Rothoff added.

"We have a better understanding of where we are, as a program and as individual runners, and what we need to do to continue to improve. I also think we have built a solid working relationship in a relatively short time. That, too, is good for the future."

The Sooners will return to competition on Jan. 18 when the 2003 indoor season opens. OU will host the Sooner Indoor at the Mosier Indoor Facility to open the season.

NCAA Midwest Regional
ISU Golf Course, Bloomington, Illinois
Men's Team Standings (10k)
1. Iowa 79; 2. Minnesota 93; 3. Illinois 153; 4. Nebraska 154; 5. Loyola 170; 6. Iowa State 192; 7. Kansas 232; Missouri 238; 9. Oklahoma State 254; 10. Eastern Illinois 257; 11. Illinois State 289; 12. Drake University 301; 13. 9 Oklahoma 335; 14. DePaul 347; 15. Tulsa 364; 16. Kansas State 375; 17. Northern Iowa 379; 18. Wichita State 401; 19. Illinois - Chicago 522; 20. Missouri - Kansas City 602; 21. Western Illinois 606; 22. Creighton 614; 23. St. Louis 685; 24. Chicago State University 742
Individual Winner -- 1. Andrew Carlson, Minnesota, 29:56.82
OU Results
43. Jimmy Buchanan, 31:06.73; 46. Joey McNair, 31:09.53; 49. Darren Hutchins, 31:12.53; 89. John Mulholland, 32:12.30; 108. Jason Brown, 32:42.36; 133. Andrew Call, 33:29.18; 139. Billy Grona, 33:56.46

Women's Team Standings (6k)
1. Missouri 63; 2. Northwestern 139; 3. Southwest Missouri State 145; 4. Bradley 153; 5. Minnesota 199; 6. Kansas 235; 7. Kansas State 256; 8. Loyola 271; 9. Oklahoma State 276; 10. DePaul 286; 11. Illinois 289; 12. Illinois State 303; 13. Nebraska 319; 14. Tulsa 321; 15. Iowa State 332; 16. Illinois - Chicago 417; 17. Eastern Illinois 422; 18. Southern Illinois 425; 19. Creighton 449; 20. Northern Illinois 465; 21. Western Illinois 509; 22. St. Louis 582; 23 Oklahoma 624
Individual Winner -- 1. Amy Mortimer, Kansas State, 20:26.39
OU Results
88. Aisha Stringer, 22:57.21; 114. Amanda Luksetich, 23:35.85; 126. Kim Thomas, 23:48.98; 147. Jackie Dubois, 24:41.19 149. Emily Leonard, 25:54.00