Cross Country - Weekly Release #1

Sept. 5, 2006

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Male Athlete of the Week

Joseph Mbari

UIC

Jr, Gatukuyu, Kenya

Mbari finished second in the UIC Home Opener's 4.1-mile men's event on Saturday, posting a 20:53 to finish only three seconds behind the race's first-place finisher.

Mbari has finished in the top three of the UIC Home Opener for the past two seasons.

Female Athlete of the Week

Laura Macias

UIC

Sr., Chicago, Ill.

Macias scorched the competition in the women's two-mile event at the UIC Home Opener on Saturday, winning the meet in a course-best 11:16. Macias beat the race's second-place finisher by 16 seconds.

Macias has been the top finisher for the Flames in every race of her career.

Other Men's Top Performers for the Week

Andrew Toward

Butler

Sr., New Castle, United Kingdom

Andrew Toward placed first at the four-team Butler Invitational.  His winning time of 21:08 was 16 seconds faster than runner-up Antony Kariuki of Marian College.

Sam Romanoski

Loyola

Sr., Lake Zurich, Ill.

Sam Romanoski tied DePaul's Sean Conroy for third at 20:57 in a 4.1-mile race at the UIC Home Opener. Romanoski has been Loyola's top finisher in six of the last seven meets, dating back to the start of last season.

Andrew Hayner

Detroit

Sr., Royal Oak, Mich.

Andrew Hayner finished sixth in the Golden Grizzly Open with a time of 21:23.  Hayner's finish was a personal record that was 58 seconds better than his time at this race last year and the second best time by a Titan on this course.

Other Women's Top Performers for the Week

Genni Gardner

Butler

Jr., Bramley, United Kingdom

Gardner paced the field in her first outing of the year and placed first at the five-team Butler Invitational.  Gardner crossed the finish line in 18:28, finishing 27 seconds ahead of runner-up Rose Lehe of Ball State.

Ashley Raymond

Loyola

So., Wheaton, Ill.

Raymond finished as the runner-up in the individual standings at the UIC Home Opener (11:32). Raymond's second-place showing led Loyola to the title and was a career-high finish. Her previous top cross country finish was a sixth-place effort at last season's Illini "Pack It Up" Challenge.

Caitlan Ebner

Cleveland State

Fr., North Royalton, Ohio

Ebner posted a team-best time of 20:42 in her first collegiate meet at the Bill Sudeck Invitational on Saturday in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Ebner's time was good for 38th place of 157 runners.

Jennifer DeFauw

Detroit

So., Harper Woods, Mich.

DeFauw ran a 21:03 for 14th place at the Golden Grizzly Invitational.  This meet was her lifetime Cross Country debut.  DeFauw did not participate in the sport in high school.