Oct. 31, 2003
Men's Results | Women's Results
Men's Results (PDF Format) | Women's Results (PDF Format)
AUSTIN, Texas--Colorado swept the 2003 Big 12 Cross Country Championships,
winning both the men's and women's individual and men's and women's team
championships. The championships were hosted by the University of Texas at
the Barton Creek Lakeside Country Club in Spicewood, Texas.
The Buffs' Dathan Ritzenhein and Natalie Florence claimed the individual
championships. Colorado has won every men's Big 12 Cross Country
Championship since the conference begun competition in 1996. The women
have won all but one of the last eight conference crowns.
"We come here hoping to contend for all four titles each year," Colorado
head coach Mark Wetmore said amidst the 80 degree temperatures and equal
humidity. "We never take the Big 12 Championships lightly because we know
the 11 other teams are very fired up for this. We are pleased when we can
get away with any part of the four wins (men's and women's team titles and
men's and women's individual titles) and we were lucky enough to get all
four of them today."
"Dathan is still a little bit rusty because he was out a long time,"
Wetmore said about Ritzenhein's performance. "This was just his second
cross country race in about 11 months, so he's still getting in shape and
he's still getting the feel for the cross country season again. He's only
going to get better."
In the men's race, Ritzenhein took the lead at the two-kilometer mark and
fought off second-place finisher, Texas' Paul Morrison (24:25.3), to claim
the 2003 Big 12 Cross Country title. Ritzenhein finished the 8,000-meter
course in 24:11. Ritzenhein and Morrison were followed closely by the
Buff's Bill Nelson (24:34.1). Oklahoma State's Mindaugas Pukstas was
fourth (24:45.8), followed by Kansas State's Mathew Chesang (24:51.6).
"It feels great to win after finishing second two years ago and taking
last year off," Ritzenhein said. "I thought we finished where we should
have. It's a very important race and CU always wants to win Big 12s. We
thought we'd have a couple of guys finish higher, but we're happy with how
it turned out."
On the women's side, Florence continued Colorado's dominance of the event,
helping the Buffs earn their fifth-consecutive Big 12 team and individual
titles. CU took three of the top four spots in the finishing order as
Florence finished the 6,000-meter course in 21:25.6. Colorado's Renee
Metivier crossed the line second (21:34.1), followed by Missouri's Amanda
Bales in third (21:36.0) and CU's Kalin Toedebusch in fourth (21:43.6).
"Our goal was to defend all four titles, and we did that today," said
Florence. "It was a hard race the whole time. I made my move at the 3K
mark and no one else decided to move with me and I was able to hold on for
the last 3K."
All-Big 12 honors went to the top 15 finishers in both the men's and
women's events.
Texas' Morrison was the men's Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, while Colorado's
Metivier claimed the women's honor. Both were the top finishing runners in
their respective races in their first season competing in the Big 12
Conference.
2003 BIG 12 CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Barton Creek Lakeside Golf Course (Austin, Texas)
Men's Team Scores: 1. Colorado 38 points; 2. Oklahoma State 91; 3. Texas
A&M 119; 4. Kansas 135; 5. Baylor 141; 6. Texas 150; 7. Oklahoma 154; 8.
Missouri 161; 9. Kansas State 231; 10. Texas Tech 252; 11. Iowa State 282;
12. Nebraska 341.
Top 15 men's finishers(All-Big 12 honorees): 1. Dathan Ritzenhein, CU,
24:11; 2. Paul Morrison, UT, 24:25; 3. Billy Nelson, CU, 24:34; 4.
Mindaugas Pukstas, OSU, 24:45; 5. Matthew Chesan, KSU, 24:51; 6. Jason
Woolhouse, OSU, 24:53; 7. Siverus Kimeli, OU, 24:56; 8. Brent Vaughn, CU,
24:57; 9. Matt Chance, BU, 25:00; 10. Bret Schoolmeester, CU, 25:09; 11.
Benson Chesang, KU, 25:05; 12. Bo Price, BU, 25:07, 13. Joe McNair, OU,
25:08, 14. Tim Ross, MU, 25:11; Tommy Bonn, A&M, 25:17.
Women's Team Scores: 1. Colorado 45 points; 2. Baylor 76; 3. Missouri 88;
4.Texas Tech 117; 5. Texas 124; 6. Nebraska 149; 7.Kansas State 171; 8.
Texas A&M 194; 9. Oklahoma 211; 10. Kansas 223; 11. Iowa State 310; 12.
Oklahoma State 358.
Top 15 women's finishers (All-Big 12 honorees): 1. Natalie Florence, CU,
21:25; 2. Renee Metivier, CU, 21:34; 3. Amanda Bales, MU, 21:36; 4. Kalen
Toedebusch, CU, 21:41; 5. Stefanie Murer, KSU, 21:43; 6. Angela Marvin, BU,
21:56; 7. Kristin Walter, UT, 21:59; 8. Brittany Brockman, BU, 22:01; 9.
Talis Apud-Martinez, UT, 22:02; 10. Jessica Eldridge, OU, 22:05; 11.
Valerie Lauver, MU, 22:11; 12. Irene Kimaiyo, TT, 22:13; 13. Tracie
Akerhielm, TT, 22:16; 14. Jill Petersen, MU, 22:17; 15. Lisa Comelius, BU,
22:19