Nov. 21, 2005
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - After four scintillating years, Angela Homan concluded her cross country career on Monday at the NCAA Championships, but not before tacking on one last honor. With temperatures in the 40s, Homan battled a tightly-packed field in the women's 6K at the LaVerne Gibson Championship Course and earned All-America honors for the third straight year after finishing 30th with a time of 20:26.5.
The race was extremely close from start to finish and less than 10 seconds separated Homan from the 18th-place finisher. At the 3K split, Homan was tied for the lead with a time of 9:58.
"The course was extremely fast and it was a great race," head coach Peter Watson said. "Angela put herself in position to win and she had a solid race. She was right there until the last 800 meters when she just ran out of gas. She put everything out there and put it all on the line. I'm really proud of everything she has accomplished and it is an unbelievable achievement to be a three-time All-American."
The trip to the NCAA Championships was the third in a row for Homan, who finished ninth last year and 40th in 2003. Last year's championships were also held at the LaVerne Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind.
Homan concludes her career at Auburn as the school's only three-time All-American in cross country and the second runner - male or female - to be named SEC Female Athlete of the Year for three straight years by winning the SEC Championship each year during that span.
Northern Arizona's Johanna Nilsson won the women's 6K with a course-record time of 19:33.9. She held off Columbia-Barnard's Caroline Bierbaum by over 12 seconds (19:46.0). Stanford won the team title on the women's side with 146 points.
NCAA Championships
November 21, 2005
LaVerne Gibson Championship Course
Terre Haute, Ind.
Women
Auburn Individuals: 30. Angela Homan, 20:26.5