Cross Country: WVU Wins Mid-Atlantic Region
November 13, 2004 05:22 PM | General
November 12, 2004
 Davis |
 Struyk |
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The No. 28 West Virginia University women’s cross country team won the Mid-Atlantic regional championship for the first time in school history on Saturday, Nov. 13, in State College, Pa.
The Mountaineers placed first out of 24 teams and had three runners finish in the individual top ten. WVU’s first place finish was better than No. 14 Villanova (2nd), No. 20 Princeton (3rd) and No. 24 Georgetown (4th).
West Virginia finished the race with 63 points while Villanova had 68, Princeton recorded 83 and Georgetown registered 112. WVU’s top finish guarantees it an automatic berth in the 2004 NCAA championships after finishing one spot outside of qualifying in each of the last two seasons.
Senior All-American Megan Metcalfe led the way as West Virginia’s top finisher for the sixth consecutive time with a fourth place finish and a mark of 20:54.
While Metcalfe’s finish was crucial, the key to West Virginia’s top finish was the performance of seniors Jennifer Davis and Tara Struyk. Davis, a native of Romney, W.Va., finished sixth with a time of 21:15 and Struyk, an Edmonton, Alberta, native, placed eighth with a time of 21:21 in just her second race of the season.
Junior Susan Davis also had an outstanding afternoon after posting a 13th place finish and a time of 21:31. Seniors Jennifer Kemp (22:20), Devon Plesuk (22:36) and Rachel Carden (22:42) placed 32nd, 43rd and 48th respectively.
“Today’s performance was awesome,” coach Jeff Huntoon says. “The whole goal this weekend was to finish second and qualify for nationals. To win it for the first time in school history with a senior laden group is special.”
The Mountaineers return to action on Monday, Nov. 22, when they travel to Terre Haute, Ind., to compete in the 2004 NCAA championships.
