Oct. 27, 2007

Complete Results

EL PASO, Texas -- - The nationally-ranked Rice women entered the championship as the only C-USA team ranked among the USTFCCA top 30. The Owls took six of the top 15 spots, including three on the first team. Taking top individual honors with ease was Tulsa's junior Alex Becker who crossed the finish line with a time of 17:34.6. SMU's Silje Fjortoft was named C-USA Freshman of the Year after finishing second with a time of 17:46.0.

Freshman Zuna Portillo was the top finisher for the Golden Eagles, recording a time of 20:14.1 to finish 43, while Kelley Rooney finished 55 with a time of 21:04.0. Rounding out the Golden Eagle finishes, included Ronna Sandoval (61) with a time of 21:20.9, Jemarie Alcordo (69) with a time of 22:01.2, Parris Hodges (74) with a time of 22:19.9, Gerrelaine Alcordo (77) with a time of 23:07.8 and Stephanie Jones-DuBose (80) with a time of 27:17.2.

Rice took the next three spots as senior Marissa Daniels (17:50.3), freshman Allison Pye (18:07.0) and freshman Becky Wade (18:20.1) earned first-team All-C-USA honors. Senior Callie Wells (18:22.2), sophomore Nicole Mericle (18:26.5) and senior Lennie Waite (18:48.6) placed sixth, eighth and 10th, respectively, for second team accolades. Rice head coach Jim Bevan was named the 2007 C-USA women's cross country coach of the year. Daniels, Mericle and Waite repeated as all-conference honorees a year ago.

Tulsa women took second-place with 54 points, followed by SMU's 105 and UAB's 118 points for third and fourth place showings, respectively. UTEP placed fifth (14), while Tulane (152), UCF (196), East Carolina (214), Memphis 267), Marshall 274), Houston (280) and Southern Miss (302) followed.

UAB senior and the 2005 individual champion Elizabeth Ambrus placed seventh for second-team All-C-USA honors with a time of 18:23.5. Tulsa's Lana Kelley was ninth (18:41.4), Jessa Simmons (11th/18:41.4), of SMU, UTEP's Kelly Young (14th/18:41.4), and Tulane's Laurie Dalrymple (15th/18:41.4), also earned all-conference honors.

2007 C-USA Women's Cross Country Results

1 Rice 26
2 Tulsa 54
3 SMU 105
4 UAB 118
5 UTEP 124
6 Tulane 152
7 UCF 196
8 East Carolina 214
9 Memphis 267
10 Marshall 274
11 Houston 280
12 Southern Mississippi 302

2007 C-USA Individual Champions
Alex Becker, Tulsa (women)

2007 C-USA Freshmen of the Year
Silje Fjortoft, SMU (women)

2007 C-USA Coach of the Year
Jim Bevan, Rice (women)