Cross Country Big12Sports.com

Oklahoma State and Texas Tech Repeat as Team Champions

2009 Cross Country Championship Central

The Oklahoma State men’s team and the Texas Tech women’s team were both crowned Big 12 Cross Country Champions for the second year in a row. It is the second title for both programs.

Oklahoma State took the men’s title with 24 points, followed by Colorado (56), Oklahoma (75), Iowa State (107) and Texas (132). In the women’s race, Texas Tech boasted five student-athletes in the Top 15 finishers and totaled 38 team points for the win. Colorado took second (52) while Iowa State was third (85), Nebraska was fourth (143) and Kansas was fifth (160).

OSU took first through fourth place on the men’s side with senior Ryan Vail winning the individual title. Vail (24:30.67), who finished fourth at last year’s event, was followed by John Kosgei (24:52.26), Colby Lowe (24:55.25) and German Fernandez (24:57.83). Iowa State’s Guor Marial (25:04.82) rounded out the top-five.

CU runners finished one-two in the women’s race with Jenny Barringer winning her first Big 12 individual championship by a margin of 46 seconds (20:27.46). Allie McLaughlin took second with a time of 21:13.36. ISU’s Lisa Koll and Tech’s Lillian Badaru and Purity Biwott finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

Freshman Allie McLaughlin (CU) and redshirt freshman Bill Kogel (Oklahoma) were also named the Big 12 Newcomers of the Year - given to the top newcomer finisher in each race. The last time Colorado boasted a Big 12 Newcomer of the Year was Jenny Barringer in 2005.

Top 15 Men’s Finishers (All-Big 12 Team)
1.    Ryan Vail, Sr, Oklahoma State                     24:50.67 
2.    John Kosgei, Sr, Oklahoma State                 24:52.26 
3.    Colby Lowe, So, Oklahoma State                 24:55.25
4.    German Fernandez, So, Oklahoma State     24:57.83
5.    Guor Marial, Sr, Iowa State                          25:04.82 
6.    Kevin Schwab, So, Oklahoma                       25:08.32 
7.    Kenyon Neuman, Sr, Colorado                      25:10.33 
8.    Hillary Bor, Jr, Iowa State                             25:18.52 
9.    Christian Thompson, So, Colorado              25:18.83
10.  Bill Kogel, R Fr, Oklahoma                           25:20.65 
11.  Robert Sorrell, Jr, Oklahoma                        25:22.12  
12.  Richard Medina, Jr, Colorado                       25:22.72 
13.  Andrew Wacker, So, Colorado                      25:25.03  
14.  Girma Mecheso, So, Oklahoma State          25:30.53  
15.  Jordan Kyle, Sr, Colorado                             25:31.90

Top 15 Women’s Finishers (All-Big 12 Team)
1.    Jenny Barringer, Sr, Colorado                      20:27.46
2.    Allie McLaughlin, Fr, Colorado                    21:13.36
3.    Lisa Koll, Sr, Iowa State                              21:17.45
4.    Lillian Badaru, Sr, Texas Tech                    21:22.35
5.    Purity Biwott, So, Texas Tech                     21:23.83
6.    Beverly Ramos, Sr, Kansas State               21:24.79 
7.    Gladys Kipsang, Sr, Texas Tech                21:41.51
8.    Erin Bedell, Sr, Baylor                                 21:44.91
9.    Caroline Karunde, Jr, Texas Tech              21:46.51
10.  Lauren Bonds, Sr, Kansas                          21:46.52  
11.  Kaitie Vanatta, Fr, Missouri                       21:48.31
12.  Laura Thweatt, Jr, Colorado                       21:52.84
13.  Winrose Karunde, Jr, Texas Tech              21:56.41
14.  Sydney Messick, Jr, Kansas State            21:59.60 
15.  Laura Tremblay, Fr, Colorado                    22:06.39