Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
State Farm MVC Championships (Women 5K, Men 8K)
Cross Country teams finish third at MVC Championships
10/29/2005 | 12:00:00 | Cross Country
Oct. 29, 2005
Women's MVC Championship Results
Men's MVC Championship Results
By Matt Crouch
www.SIUSalukis.com
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Nine Salukis posted personal-best times in their respective races Saturday at the State Farm / Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Championships, but it was not enough as both teams finished third in the 10-team event.
Senior Joe Byrne and junior Sarah Rinker led their respective teams at the meet. Both finished third with Byrne completing the 8K in 24:23.56 while Rinker also finished third in the 5K with a time of 17:00.52.
Both times are personal-bests for Byrne and Rinker.
Three Southern Illinois runners earned All-MVC honors at the event, a distinction awarded to the top-10 runners in each race. Along with Byrne and Rinker, freshman Mohamed Mohamed found himself on the All-MVC team, finishing the 8K in eighth with a personal-best time of 24:43.86.
Following behind Byrne and Mohamed in the men's 8K was freshman Brad Pirok, finishing 17th with a time of 25:13.31. Senior Kyle Monroe completed the race shortly after Pirok, coming in at 26th with a time of 25:35.00.
Junior Tom Gentry rounded out scoring for the Salukis as he came in 52nd with a time of 26:17.23.
Also competing for SIU's men's team were Mark Bowman (57th, 26:29.73), Rob Duncan (65th, 27:08.24) and Jason Brosseau (68th, 27:19.40).
Pirok, Monroe, Gentry and Bowman all recorded personal-best times in the race.
Indiana State won the men's team championship with 35 points, followed by Drake with 75 points. SIU's 104 points placed the team third, 14 points ahead of fourth-place Missouri State (118).
Rounding out the men's race were Wichita State (133), Bradley (165), Northern Iowa (172), Illinois State (185), Evansville (215) and Creighton (222).
Missouri State's Michael Breshears won the individual MVC Championship after finishing runner-up in 2004. Breshears completed the 8K in 24:12.32.
Three Salukis finished in the top 20 in the women's race, placing the team third overall. Following Rinker were fellow juniors Lindsay Wagner (18th) and Katie Birn (20th).
Wagner finished with a time of 18:01.71 while Birn finished with a personal-best time of 18:07.75.
Sophomore Shelby Brice, who recently took a bigger role on the team to replace Jessica Ordway, finished 23rd with a time of 18:14.20.
Cherylynn Schilling rounded out scoring for the Salukis as she finished 32nd, completing the race in 18:31.50.
Also competing for Southern Illinois was senior Ty-Nica Davis. Davis finished 55th with a personal-best time of 19:30.44.
Wichita State won the women's team championship with 37 points, followed by Missouri State with 74 points. SIU's 96 points placed the team in third, four points ahead of fourth-place Northern Iowa.
Rounding out the women's race were Indiana State (110), Illinois State (133), Bradley (190), Drake (191), Creighton (210) and Evansville (248).
Wichita State's Desiraye Osburn win the individual MVC Championship after finishing runner-up in 2004. Osburn completed the 5K in 16:24.08.
The SIU cross country teams take next week off before returning to action Sat., Nov. 12 at the NCAA Midwest Regional. The women will run a 6K with the men running a 10K at the meet in Iowa City, Iowa.
