Oct. 28, 2006
GREENVILLE, N.C. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Paced by all-conference efforts from junior Dustin Hicks (Oviedo HS) and freshman Jenny Clausen (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial HS), the UCF men's cross country team took fourth, while the women captured fifth at the 2006 Conference USA Championships at Lake Kristi on Saturday morning.
With a time of 26:09.33 in the 8K, Hicks placed 14th and earned a spot on the All-C-USA Third Team. He was followed closely by seniors Brent White (Boynton Beach, Fla./Santaluces HS) in 16th at 26:20.98 and Ryan White (Boynton Beach, Fla./Santaluces HS) in 17th at 26:25.85.
Junior Paul Nielsen (Oviedo HS) was 22nd at 26:41.02 and classmate Paul Fitzpatrick (Ocala, Fla./Vanguard HS) took 27th at 27:01.35 to round out the UCF scoring lineup. Freshman John Horst (Christiansburg, Va./Christiansburg HS) and sophomore Daniel Conn (Ocala, Fla./Trinity Catholic HS) also finished in the top 35.
UTEP defended its team title with 21 points. Tulsa (40 points) grabbed second place followed by Rice (70) in third place and UCF (96) in fourth.
The Golden Knight women jumped from their ninth place showing of a year ago into fifth place thanks in part to the efforts of Clausen. She earned third-team all-conference honors after taking 12th with a time of 18:34.12 and was also the second freshman to cross the finish line.
Sophomore Jamie Rzepecki (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora HS) was UCF's No. 2 runner as she placed 24th at 19:13.10, while junior Allison Palmer (Oviedo HS) ran No. 3 and finished in 39th at 19:52.60.
Sophomore Shantile Blackburn and juniors Elizabeth Miller and Karen Kozub crossed the finish line in a pack, taking places 49th through 51st.
UAB captured the women's crown with 54 points with Rice on its heels with 55 points for second place. Third went to SMU with 72 points with Tulsa (77 points) in fourth and UCF (169) in fifth.
"I was very pleased with the effort that the runners gave," said UCF head coach Marcia Mansur-Wentworth. "The men ran extremely well and the ladies improved upon their finish last season."
Next the Golden Knights compete in the NCAA South Regional in Knoxville, Tenn. on Nov. 11.
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