Homan Finishes 40th and Wanyoike 63rd at NCAA Championships
November 24, 2003
WATERLOO, Iowa - Sophomore cross country runner Angela Homan and senior Catherine Wanyoike competed in the NCAA Cross Country Championships, in Waterloo, Iowa, Monday afternoon. Homan placed 40th and Wanyoike came in 63rd in the 252-person field.
In her first trip to the championships, Homan turned in a season-high time of 20:47.7 in the 6K and earned All-America honors for this performance. Two-time qualifier Wanyoike, improved 11 places from her finish in 2002, to place her 63rd this season. She ran the race in 21:00.6.
"I am very proud of Angela and Catherine for their performances today at the championships," head coach Chris Fox commented. "This is Catherine's senior year and I know she was excited about improving her times from last year's championships. I am thrilled that Angela was named All-American, since this was her first time competing at NCAA's. This concludes a successful season for both girls."
The pair qualified for the championships when they finished third and sixth, respectively, at the NCAA South Regional Championships on Nov. 15.
In every meet this season, Homan, the Delphos, Ohio, native led the Tigers over the finish line. In her first meet of the season, Homan won the individual title in the 2-mile race and led Auburn to a first place finish at the Chattanooga Invitational on Sept. 5.
She went on to capture her second individual crown, in a time of 9:55.40, at the Mississippi State Invitational in Starkville, Miss., on Oct. 25. For her performance at the MSU Invite she was named SEC Female Athlete of the Week.
At the Southeastern Conference Championships in Athens, Ga., on Nov. 3, Auburn finished fourth with Homan, once again, leading the group. She posted a time of 21:49.76 in the 6K race, which was good to bring home Auburn's first SEC individual champion.
Wanyoike, who was the lone representative from Auburn last season at the championships, is a native of Kiambu, Kenya. She was the second woman to cross the finish line for Auburn at every meet this season and finished in the top-10 at all six meets thus far.
Wanyoike saw two second-place finishes in 2003, beginning with the season opener at Chattanooga. She completed the 2-mile race in 11:37. At the Mississippi State Invitational, she competed in the 4K (13:52.50), and helped lead the Auburn women to their second team title of the season. She was named All-SEC for the second consecutive year for her performance in Athens at the SEC Championships.
Wanyoike turned in her best time in the 6K at the NCAA South Regional, hosted by Auburn, where she came in sixth (20:57.35) and qualified to compete in her second and final NCAA Cross Country Championships.