EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM EARNS USTFCCCA ALL-ACADEMIC HONORS

(Mar. 3) - The Emory University women's cross country team, which concluded the 2007 season with a 17th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships, has been recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for excellence both in the classroom and on the running trails by earning the organization's All-Academic Team Award.

The Eagles of Head Coach John Curtin posted a team cumulative GPA of 3.36 following fall term and were one of 141 Division III programs to earn recognition.  To be eligible, a school must have compiled a team score at the NCAA Regional Meet and have a minimum 3.10 team cumulative GPA.  Emory recorded a first-place finish out of 28 teams at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Championship.

Emory boasted four representatives on the USTFCCCA Women's All-Academic Team, tying it with Case Western Reserve University for the most berths among University Athletic Association programs.  Senior Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO), juniors Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) and Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) and freshman Jenny Feinberg (Andover, MA) all landed spots on the all-academic team. 

Student-athletes from 106 Division III institutions were represented on the All-Academic Team.  To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade-point average and must finish in the top 25 percent of the field at their respective NCAA regional meet.

 JOHN CURTIN NAMED WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY REGIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

(Nov. 20) - Emory University cross country coach John Curtin has been named the 2007 South/Southeast Region Women's Division III Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.  The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association honored the top coaches and athletes in each of the eight Division III regions.

Under Curtin's direction, Emory edged Trinity by two points to win its third straight South/Southeast Region title. The Eagles placed three runners among the top six finishers while all seven entrants earned all-region recognition.  It was Emory's 17th regional title in the last 20 years.

Curtin is no stranger to the honor, having brought region Coach of the Year honors on 14 occasions during his 23 years as the cross country coach at Emory.

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM POSTS 17th-PLACE FINISH AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Nov. 18) -- The 20th -ranked Emory University women's cross country team posted a 17th-place finish out of 32 squads Saturday at the 2007 NCAA Division III National Championships.  The competition was hosted by St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

The Eagles recorded a team score of 447 points.  Taking home the championship was No. 1-ranked Amherst with 120 points while No. 5 Plattsburgh State came in second with 159 points.

The Eagles' top runner was junior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) who covered the 6K course in a time of 22:35, good for 57th place (37th scoring) among the 280 competitors.  Senior Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO)  crossed the finish line in 22:54 which ranked her 88th (59th scoring).  Junior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) was 94th (63rd scoring) with an effort of 22:56 while juniors Megan Shaughnessy (San Antonio, TX) and Rebecca Willett (Mobile, AL) rounded out the team's scorers with times of 23:19 and 23:54, respectively, that placed them 157th and 229th overall.  Others competing included sophomore Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY) and freshman Jenny Feinberg (Andover, MA).

 EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS LOOK FORWARD TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Nov. 14) - The Emory University men's and women's cross country teams head north this weekend to take part in the NCAA Division III Championships.  This year's event will be held at the St. Olaf College Cross Country Trails in Northfield, Minnesota.  Both the men's and women's fields will be comprised of 32 teams looking to capture the national title.  The women's 6K competition begins at 11:00 am (CST) while the men's 8K race is slated for a noon start.

The women's team earned an automatic bid to this year's championships by virtue of its first-place finish at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional last weekend in Williamsburg, Virginia.  The Eagles topped the 28-team field with 52 points and were followed by Trinity's 54 points.  Leading the way for Emory was senior Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO) who posted a third-place finish in the 186-runner field with a time of 23:15.  Shores was one of three Emory runners to finish among the top six with juniors Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) and  Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) recording fifth and sixth-place showings, respectively.  The Eagles' other scorers included juniors Rebecca Willett (Mobile, AL), who posted a 16th-place effort, and Megan Shaughnessy (San Antonio, TX), who finished 22nd.    Emory's top five performers brought home all-region recognition as did the team's two other entrants, sophomore Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY) and freshman Jenny Feinberg (Andover, MA) with 26th and 29th-place performances.

The women's program will be making its 16 trip to the NCAA Championships in the last 17 years.  Emory finished 14th in last year's competition and was led by Melissa Jones whose 24th-place finish that enabled her to earn All-America honors.

The men's team earned an automatic bid to nationals after sharing first place with Rhodes College at the Regional with each squad totaling 76 points. It marks the first time that an Eagles' team has qualified since the 2004 campaign. 

Junior Vikram Srivastava paced the Emory pack and finished seventh out of 170 runners with an 8K mark of 26:18.  This will be his second straight trip to the NCAA Championships after qualifying last year as an individual.   Sophomore Paul Winterhalter (Ardmore, PA) continued his fine season and recorded a 10th-place finish, coming up with a time of 26:23. Sophomore Charles Meade (Wellesley, MA) came in 16th (26:41) while senior Mike Rothbart (27:02, 23rd place) and sophomore Tommy Fyffe (27:06, 24th place) rounded out the scorers.  As was the case with the women's team, all seven entries on the men's team captured all-region acclaim including senior Jeff Roland (Bedford, NH) and junior Nate Ennist (Bethesda, MD).

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM CAPTURES FIRST PLACE AT NCAA SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGIONAL - EARNS AUTOMATIC TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Nov. 10) - The Emory University women's cross country team, ranked 19th in the nation, posted a first-place finish out of 28 teams at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Championships today, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The Eagles finished with 52 points and edged runner-up Trinity who recorded 54 points. It marked the third straight and 16th regional championship in the last 17 seasons for the women's team.

The Eagles had three of the top six finishers led by senior Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO) who came in third place in the 186-runner field with a 6K time of 23:01.  Junior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) was the No. 2 Emory finisher and fifth overall with a time of 23:20.  Junior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) crossed the line in 23:27, good for the No. 6 spot.  Rounding out the team's scorers were junior Rebecca Willett (Mobile, AL), whose effort of 24:16 placed her 16th, and junior Megan Shaughnessy (San Antonio, TX) with a 22nd- place effort of 24:33.  Sophomore Rebecca Flink (24:39, 26th place) and freshman Jenny Feinberg (24:49, 29th place) also competed for Emory.

The NCAA National Championships will be held on Saturday, Nov. 17 in Northfield, Minnesota and hosted by St. Olaf.  The women's race will begin at 11:00 am (CST).

 EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS TO COMPETE AT NCAA SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGIONAL

(Nov. 8) - The Emory University men's and women's cross country teams head to Williamsburg, Virginia, where they will compete in the NCAA South/Southeast Regional on Saturday, Nov. 10.  Hosted by Christopher Newport University, the women's 6K race begins at 11:00 a.m. followed by the men's 8K competition at noon. Both races will be held at Eastern State Hospital.  A total of 25 men's squads will be competing while the women's competition will feature 30 teams.

The South/Southeast Regional is one of eight regionals being held across the country.  A total of 16 teams (top two teams from each region) in both the men's and women's competition will earn automatic berths while 16 squads will garner at-large berths.  In addition, seven runners from each region from teams who do not qualify will be selected for the NCAA Championships which will be held on Nov. 17 at St. Olaf College located in Northfield, Minnesota.

The Emory women's team, ranked 19th in the nation, is coming off a third-place finish at the University Athletic Association Championships (Oct. 27). Junior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) and senior Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO) garnered first team All-UAA honors after posting fifth and seventh-place finishes, respectively, in the 78-runner field.  Junior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) brought home second-team acclaim after coming in ninth. 

The women's team will be looking to continue its dominance in the South/Southeast Regional that has seen the Eagles finish first in 15 of the past 16 seasons.  Last year, Emory topped the 26-team field with Jones finishing fourth and Shores sixth out of 177 runners.  

The men's team is ranked 32nd nationally and registered a fourth-place effort at the UAAs, the program's best finish since 2002.  The Eagles, who finished just one point out of third place, were led by sophomore Paul Winterhalter (Ardmore, PA) whose 11th-place finish enabled him to earn a second-team spot on the All-UAA Team. 

Last season, the men's team came in third place at the Regional (Centre College finished first) with Tommy Fyffe and Vikram Srivastava earning at-large individual spots at the national championships.

 EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SQUAD FINISHES THIRD AT UAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

The No. 28-ranked Emory University women's cross country team posted a third-place finish out of eight teams at the 21st Annual University Athletic Association Championships held at Franklin Park in Boston.

The Eagles finished the race with 58 points.  No. 3-ranked Washington University captured its fifth team championship in six years with a first-place score of 31 points.  No. 8-ranked and defending champion Case Western Reserve came in second with 44 points. 

Emory saw a trio of runners place among the top 10 finishers.  Junior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) crossed the line in fifth position in the 78-runner field with a 6K time of 22:51.  Senior Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO) was the Eagles' No. 2 finisher and seventh overall with an effort of 22:59 while junior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) turned in a ninth-place finish in a time of 23:05.  Both Waryck and Shores earned first team All-UAA recognition while Jones garnered second-team acclaim.  Other Eagle scorers included junior Rebecca Willett (Mobile, AL) whose showing of 23:43 placed her 18th, and junior Megan Shaughnessy (San Antonio, TX) who concluded the race in 19th position with a mark of 23:47.  Capturing first place was Esther Erb of Case Western with an effort of a performance of 22:19. 

Emory's next action will be when it competes at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional on Saturday, Nov. 10 in Newport News, VA.

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS GEAR UP FOR UAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Oct. 25) - The Emory University men's and women's cross country teams head to Boston where they will compete in the 21st Annual University Athletic Association Cross Country Championships on Saturday, October 27.  Hosted by Brandeis University, the women's 6K race begins at 10:00 a.m. followed by the men's 8K competition at 10:45 a.m. Both races will be held at Franklin Park.

"We have reached the time of the year where it is championship season and the UAAs start that off ," Emory Head Coach John Curtin said. "We have focused our training to get ready for the next four weeks and I believe that both sides are as well prepared as we've been."

The women's team, ranked first in the South/Southeast Region and 28th nationally, posted a third-place finish last season.  No. 8-ranked Case Western heads into the competition looking to defend its title after snapping Washington University's (No. 3 ranked) four-year reign as champion.  Last season, Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO) and Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) finished ninth and tenth, respectively, en route to all-conference recognition.

"Last year 14 of the 20 top finishers were from either Case, Washington University and Emory and I expect a similar three-way battle for first place," Curtin said.

The men's squad, ranked No. 2 in the South/Southeast Region, will be eyeing a climb up the conference ladder after finishing eighth last season.  Highlighting Emory's effort in 2006 was Tommy Fyffe (Cincinnati, OH) who crossed the finish line in 28th place en route to UAA Rookie of the Year honors.  New York University, ranked No. 2 among Division III teams, enters the weekend as defending men's champ.

"I believe that the men's side is ready to step up and become the surprise team," Curtin stated.  "While we really don't have a frontrunner per say, we do have a strong pack of runners who I believe will show what they are capable of."

Following the UAA Championships, both teams will resume action on Nov. 10 at the NCAA South/Southeast Regionals in Newport News, VA. 

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS COMPETE AT TIGER TWILIGHT INVITATIONAL

(Oct. 10) -The Emory University men's and women's cross country teams continue their respective seasons this Friday (Oct. 12) when they compete at the Tiger Twilight Invitational.  The meet will be hosted by the University of the South.  The women's 6K race will begin at 4:00 p.m., while the men's 8K competition will start at 4:45 p.m.

After seeing the women's team capture first place and the men's side post a runner-up finish at Pre-Nationals last weekend, Emory Head Coach John Curtin plans to rest the majority of his top runners in preparation the for the impending UAA Championships.  Curtin is hoping that those hitting the course this weekend will help solidify the few lineup spots for the rest of the season.

"As for this meet, we're pretty much going let some people race and see if we can fill out the final three positions on both teams for the UAAs and beyond," Curtin stated.  "We'll be looking to make some final decisions in that regard and allow people to show what they can do."

The women's impressive first-place performance was highlighted by seeing its five scorers finish among the top 13 finishers in the 154-runner field, led by senior Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO) who came in third with a 6K time of 23:37.8.

The men's team enjoyed a balanced race and was had four contestants rank among the top 24 finishers.  Senior Mike Rothbart (Livingston, NJ) paced the pack with an 8K time of 28:02.1, good for 19th place in the 193-contestant field. 

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY DOMINANT IN FIRST-PLACE FINISH AT PRE-NATIONALS

(Oct. 6) -- The No. 26-ranked Emory University women's cross country team breezed to a first-place finish out of 14 teams at the Pre-Nationals on Saturday.  The event was held at St. Olaf College.

Emory finished with 38 points and was followed by runner-up Loras College's 77 points.  Grinnell College took home third place (109 pts.) while MAcelester (117 pts.) and St. Olaf (122 pts.) rounded out the top five

The Eagles enjoyed a balanced effort with five of the top 13 finishers.  Senior Lauren Shores was the top Emory performer with a 6K time of 23:37.8, good for third place in the 154-runner field.  A quartet of juniors made their mark led by Melissa Jones who crossed the line in fifth place with an effort of 23:54.5.  Natalie Waryck finished with a time of 23:59.1, good for sixth place and Rebecca Willet posted an 11th-place finish at 25:01.9.  Megan Shaughnessy rounded out the team's scorers with a time of 25:07, good for 13th position.

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS LOOK TO MAKE MARK AT PRE-NATIONALS

(Oct. 3) -- The Emory University men's and women's cross country teams head north this weekend to compete at Pre-Nationals.  This year's meet will be hosted by St. Olaf College and is slated to feature 13 women's teams and 15 men's squads.   The women's 6K race will start at 11:00 a.m. (CDT) and will be followed by the men's 8K competition at noon (CDT).  The event will be held at the St. Olaf Championship Course which will serve as the venue for the 2007 NCAA Division III Championships.

The women's team, ranked No. 1 in the South/Southeast Region and 26th in the nation, will be back in action following a fourth-place finish out of nine teams at the Bulldog Stampede (Sept. 22).  In that meet, the Eagles trailed only Division I teams Georgia, Tennessee and Auburn.  Emory had three finishers among the top 22 competitors including senior Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO) who covered the 5K course in 18:51.72, good for 19th place in the 80-runner field.  Junior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) and junior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) finished in 21st and 22nd position, respectively.

The men's team, ranked No. 2 in the South/Southeast Region, posted a fourth-place effort out of 10 teams at the Bulldog Stampede.  Highlighting Emory's efforts was the sophomore duo of Paul Winterhalter (Ardmore, PA) and Charlie Meade (Wellesley, MA) who came in 27th and 28th, respectively, in the 88-runner field.  Winterhalter covered the 8K course in a time of 26:53.93 while Meade turned in a time of 26:57.48. 

"We are looking forward to the Pre-Nationals," Emory Head Coach John Curtin stated.  "For the women, it will be their first opportunity to run a 6K this season.  They have trained for it and are ready to go."It also allows both teams to compete on the course that will host the nationals later this year.  Having knowledge of a course increases the comfort level for the runners which should boost their confidence when nationals come along.  You get to know the ins and the outs of the course and generally know what you have waiting for you."

EMORY'S LAUREN SHORES NAMED UAA CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE WEEK

(Sept 24) - Emory University senior Lauren Shores has been named by the University Athletic Association as Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week following her performance at the Bulldog Stampede hosted by the University of Georgia.

Shores, who made her season debut at the meet, helped the Eagles to a fourth-place finish out of nine teams. She led all Emory runners and placed 19th out of 80 runners with a 5K time of 18:51.7. Shores' time represented the best effort by any Emory through three meets. Emory finished the Bulldog Stampede with 84 points and trailed only Division I teams Georgia, Tennessee and Auburn.

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SQUAD FINISHES FOURTH AT BULLDOG STAMPEDE

(Sept. 22) - The 25th-ranked Emory University women's cross country team made a strong showing at the Bulldog Stampede, posting a fourth-place finish out of nine teams.  The Eagles recorded 84 points and trailed only Division I teams Georgia (20 pts.), Tennessee (64) and Auburn (75 pts.).  The meet was held at the University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens.

The Eagles had three finishers among the top 22 competitors and were paced by senior Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO) who covered the 5K course in 18:51.72, good for 19th place in the 80-runner field.  Junior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) was the second Emory entrant to cross the line with an effort of 19:01.53, good for 21st position.  Junior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) was right behind Shores and came in 22nd with a time of 19:08.86.  Sophomore Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY) and junior Rebecca Willett (Mobile, AL) rounded out the Emory scorers with times of 19:38.52 and 19:40.03, respectively, that placed them 26th and 27th.

Others competing for the Eagles included freshman Jenny Feinberg (19:49.03),  junior Megan Shaughnessy (20:32.03), freshmen Natalie Fenn (21:06.73), Emily Martin (21:07.49), Allison Dwyer (21:11.36), sophomore Carla Heyler (21:16.09) and junior Kathryn McElheny (21:27.69).

Emory's next action takes place Oct. 6 when it competes at the Pre-Nationals in St. Olaf, MN.

 EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS TO COMPETE AT BULLDOG STAMPEDE

(Sept. 19) --- The Emory University men's and women's cross country teams continue their respective seasons this Saturday (Sept. 22) when they venture to Athens to participate in the Bulldog Stampede.  The women's 5K race will start at 8:00 a.m. and will be followed by the men's 8K competition at 8:30 a.m.  The event will be held at the University of Georgia Golf Course.

The women's team, ranked 25th in the nation, is coming off a third-place finish out of 19 teams at the Georgia State Invitational last weekend.  The Eagles' finish was impressive considering that All-American Melissa Jones and key vets Lauren Shores and Natalie Waryck were held out of the meet.  All three will run in the Stampede and Curtin is eager to see the results.

"This is the first time this season that the women's team will run at full strength," Curtin said.  "This will give us an idea of where we are as we prepare for Pre-Nationals.  The women have trained hard and are ready to go."

The men's team posted a seventh-place effort out of 18 teams at the Georgia State Invitational and sat out several key performers as well with an eye on competing at the Bulldog Stampede. Sophomores Tommy Fyffe and Paul Winterhalter and sophomore Bryan Forsyth were among those who trained through the Georgia State Invitational and who are eager to take part in this weekend's race. 

"Other than Michael Rothbart not competing, the men's team should be at full strength," Curtin said.  It should be a good meet for the guys and should provide us some insight as to who will emerge as contenders for roster spots come Pre-Nationals time."

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SQUAD POSTS STRONG SHOWING AT GEORGIA STATE INVIATATIONAL

The Emory University women's cross country team turned in solid effort at the Georgia State Invitational, finishing third out of 19 teams.  The Eagles finished with 99 points and trailed only host Georgia State's first-place total of 29 points and runner-up Kennesaw State's effort of 57 teams.  Emory was the No. 1 finisher among 15 non-Division I programs. The event was held at the Georgia Regional Hospital.

Emory, which opted to sit out All-American Melissa Jones along with all-region performer Lauren Shores, was led by freshman Jenny Feinberg (Andover, MA) whose 5K time of 20:10.76 paced the Eagles' pack and placed her 11th out of 171 runners.  Junior Rebecca Willett (Mobile, AL) turned in a strong race, ranking second among Emory's runners and 15th overall with a mark of 20:23.82.  Sophomore Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY) turned in a time of 20:41 that enabled her to claim 21st place while junior Megan Shaughnessy (San Antonio, TX) crossed the finish line in the 23rd spot at 20:45.28.  Rounding out the team's scorers was freshman Natalie Fenn (Evanston, IL) with a 44th-place time of 21:39.86.  Other Emory contestants included freshmen Emily Martin (21:46.98) and Allison Dwyer (21:49.75), junior Kathryn McElheny (22:10.50) and sophomore Carla Sue Heyler (22:33.36).   

Emory's next action will be at the Bulldog Stampeded hosted by the University of Georgia on Sept. 22.

 EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS GEAR UP FOR GEORGIA STATE INVITATIONAL

(Sept. 12) -- The Emory University men's and women's country teams continue their respective seasons on Saturday (Sept. 15) when they compete in the 35th annual Georgia State Invitational.  The competition will be held at the Georgia Regional Hospital with the men's 8K race scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m. followed by the women's 5K race at 10:00 a.m. 

A total of 19 men's teams are slated to contend for the championship including Berry College, Clark Atlanta University, Chattahoochee Tech., Clayton State, Darton College, Georgia State, Georgia College, Gordon College, Kennesaw State, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Mercer, Morehouse, North Georgia College, Oglethorpe, Shorter College, Toccoa Falls College, and University of South Florida.   Last year, Emory finished in fourth place out of 13 teams.

The women's field will be comprised of 23 squads -- Agnes Scott, Berry College, Brenau University, Clark Atlanta University, Chattahoochee Tech., Clayton State, Darton College, Georgia State, Georgia College, Gordon College, Kennesaw State, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Mercer, Morehouse, North Georgia College, Oglethorpe, Shorter College, Toccoa Falls College, USC-Aiken, University of South Florida, and Wesleyan College.

"We are looking at the Georgia State Invitational as an opportunity for some of our runners who need races to get one," said Head Coach John Curtin. "We are planning on keeping our training mileage up this week and race hard at the Bulldog Stampede the following weekend.  This will allow some of our runners who are competing for spots to show what they can do."

Both Eagles' teams opened the season on Sept. 1 by posting second-place finishes at the University of South Invitational.

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS GARNER NATIONAL AND REGIONAL RECOGNITION

(Sept. 6) -- The Emory University men's and women's cross country teams have garnered regional and national recognition in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association preseason rankings.

The women's team is ranked 25th nationally by the USTFCCCA while holding down the No. 1 position in the South/Southeast Region.  On the national scene, Amherst is the No. 1-ranked squad in the preseason and is followed by Calvin College.  The Eagles finished 14th at last year's NCAA Championships while claiming the program's 15th South/Southeast Regional title in the past 16 seasons.  Following Emory in the regional rankings is Trinity University in the No. 2 spot and Washington & Lee in the third slot.

While the Emory men's team was not ranked nationally, it is slated as the No. 1 unit in the South/Southeast Region.  Rhodes College is No. 2 while Centre College holds down the No. 3 post.  Rounding out the top five are University of Mary Washington and Washington & Lee University.

Both the Emory men's and women's teams turned in solid efforts in their first competition of the season with second-place finishes at the University of South Invitational.  Both teams finished runner-up to NCAA Division I member Mississippi State.

The next action for both Eagle teams will be on September 15 when they take part in the Georgia State Invitational.

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SQUAD TAKES HOME SECOND PLACE AT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH INVITATIONAL  

The Emory University women's cross country team turned in solid effort at the University of the South Invitational, finishing second out of 18 teams.  The Eagles finished with 63 points and trailed only Mississippi State's first-place standard of 43 points.  The meet was held in Sewanee, Tennessee.

Leading the pack for Emory was junior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, MO) with a sixth-place showing out of 149 competitors with a time of 19:49.51 over the 5K course.  Stephanie Place of Tennessee Tech claimed first place with a mark of 18.35.61.  Junior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) effort of 20:07.87 was good for eighth position while junior Rebecca Willett (Mobile, AL) was the third Emory finisher and 15th overall with a time of 20:43.83.  Rounding out the scorers for the Eagles were freshman Jenny Feinberg (Andover, MA) and junior Megan Shaughnessy (San Antonio, TX) who finished 16th and 18th, respectively, with postings of 20:46.70 and 20:52.

Emory's next action will be at the Georgia State Invitational on Sept. 15.

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS OPEN 2007 SEASON

(Aug. 29) - The 2007 Emory University men's and women's cross country teams open the season on Saturday (Sept. 1) when they compete in the 27th annual Sewanee Invitational held in Sewanee, Tennessee.   Both the women's 5K and the men's 8K competition will be held at the Sewanee Golf Course.  Action gets underway at 10:00 am with the women's race while the men are scheduled to start at 11:00 am.

Head Coach John Curtin and his Eagles are eager to start the year in the competition that features approximately 19 teams entered in both the men's and women's events.  Last year, Emory's men's team finished fifth out of 15 teams, with Alex Robin (Evanston, IL) leading way with a 24th-place finish out of 152 entrants, while the Eagle women took home second-place honors out of 19 squads.  Leading that group was Lauren Shores (Manchester, MO) with a fourth-place effort out of 159 runners. 

"Our men's team is focused on doing well," Curtin said when previewing this weekend's action. "There will be some tough teams from the region taking part and the men definitely want to put their best foot forward early on.  They look fit and are ready to go."

"As for the women's team, we are going to run the people we think are ready," Curtin continued.  "We are basically going to run it as a time trial and see where we are.  I know that they are eager and ready to start competing."