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

(Mar. 6) - The Emory University women's cross country team, a participant in the 2008 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 completed fall term with a team cumulative GPA of 3.550 and were one of record-total 156 Division III programs to earn recognition.  Another impressive fact is that 30 of the 32 teams in the championship field at this year's NCAA D-III Cross Country Championships were USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams.

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 finished second out of 24 teams at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Championship.

Five Emory runners found their way on the USTFCCCA Women's All-Academic Team with seniors Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) and Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH), junior Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY), sophomore Natalie Fenn (Evanston, IL) and freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) the program's representatives. 

A total of 221 female student-athletes received the honor in 2008. 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.

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM ANNOUNCES 2008 AWARD WINNERS

(Dec. 12) -  The Emory University women's cross country team has announced the program's award winners for the 2008 season.

Senior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) was named the Most Valuable Runner after ranking as the Eagles' top runner in five of the seven races she took part in.  Jones paced the Emory contingent and earned all-region kudos after posting a sixth-place finish out of 169 competitors at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional.  She also captured First Team All-University Athletic Association honors after crossing the finish line in sixth position.

After scoring points in all eight of the events she participated in, junior Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY) was selected as the Most Improved Runner.  One of Flink's highlights during the year took place at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Championships where she was the No. 2 Eagle to finish and eighth out of 169 entries en route to bringing home all-region acclaim.

Freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) was recognized for her contributions and chosen as the team's Rookie of the Year.  A First-Team All-UAA honoree, Gallegos was among the squad's top three performers in all seven of her competitions including the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Championships when she recorded a 10th-place overall finish, good for all-region recognition.

Senior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) received the Coach's Award, symbolic of dedication, leadership and inspiration. Waryck's consistency enabled her to score in all eight of the team's races, and she paced the Eagles while finishing 39th out of 497 runners at the prestigious Griak Invitational.  Among her individual honors included a second-team berth on the All-UAA Team and spot on the South/Southeast All-Region Team.

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SQUAD FINISHES 24th AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS


(Nov. 22) - The Emory University women's cross country team finished in 24th place out of 32 teams at the NCAA Championships this afternoon.  This year's event was hosted by Hanover College (IN).

Taking home the team championship was Middlebury with 179 points.  Calvin College was runner-up with 237 points while Williams College closed in the No. 3 spot with 240 points.  The Eagles finished the competition with 488 points.

Senior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) was the first Emory runner to cross the finish line, turning a 6K time of 22:35.01, good for 110th place in the 279-runner field.  Freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) was close behind with a showing of 22:35.39 that placed her 112th.  Senior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) finished the meet with a time of 22:37.8 that ranked her 119th.  Rounding out the team's scorers were Rebecca Flink (23:00) and Megan Shaughnessy (23:24).

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS TO COMPETE AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Nov. 18) -  The Emory University men's and women's cross country teams close out the 2008 season on Saturday when they compete at the NCAA Championships. 
This year's championship will be hosted by Hanover College (IN) and held at L.S. Ayers Complex.  The men's 8K race begins at 11:00 a.m., and will be followed by the women's 6K competition at noon.

Each championship race will include 32 teams, with seven runners per squad, and 56 individuals from additional schools.  The 32 squads in each race include 16 teams, two from eight regions, who automatically qualified following their finishes at the regional championships.  In addition, the NCAA national committee selected 16 at-large teams from among the top five teams in each regional meet.  The top seven individual competitors in each regional race, not associated with a qualifying team, also earned a place in the championship field.

The Emory men's team, ranked 22nd nationally, earned its spot at the national championship after coming in second out of 19 teams at the South/Southeast Regional.  Juniors Charles Meade (Wellesley, MA) and Tommy Fyffe (Cincinnati, OH) spearheaded the strong effort by coming in fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 152-runner field.  All five of the team's scorers earned all-region honors including junior Paul Winterhalter (Ardomore, PA), who crossed the finish line in the No. 8 position, senior Nate Ennist (Bethesda, MD) and junior Greg Decker (Rockville, MD).  This year's trip to nationals marks the eighth appearance in the last 10 years to the Championships.

The Emory's women's side, holders of the No. 29 national ranking, finished second in the 24-team at the Regional Championships.  Emory's top five finishers all ranked among the top 20 contestants in the 169-runner field and brought home all-region accolades.  Senor Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) turned in a 6K time of 22:37, good for sixth place in the field.  Junior Rebbeca Flink (Loudonville, NY) posted an eighth-place showing while freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) came in tenth.  Senior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) and senior Megan Shaughnessy (San Antonio, TX) rounded out the team's scorers.  Also earning all-region honors was sophomore Natalie Fenn (Evanston, IL).  The Emory women's program has now qualified for nationals in 17 of the past 18 seasons.  Last year the Eagles finished in 17th place.

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM FINISHES SECOND AT NCAA SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - QUALIFIES FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Nov. 15) -- The Emory University women's cross country team recorded a second-place finish out of 24 teams at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Championships this morning and earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships next weekend in Hanover, Indiana.  Today's regional championships were held in Seguine, Tex., and hosted by Texas Lutheran University.

The Eagles totaled 55 points and finished runner-up to Trinity University's mark of 43 points.  Rounding out the top five teams were Washington & Lee (105 pts.), Rhodes College (141 pts.) and Christopher Newport (196 pts.).

Emory placed all five of its scorers among the top 20 entries in the 169-runner field.  Senior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) paced the Eagles' pack with a 6K time of 22:37, good for sixth place overall.  Junior Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY) posted a showing of 22:46 that placed her in eighth position.  Freshman Tess Gallegos (22:51) and senior Natalie Waryck (23:08) registered 10th -and 12th - place efforts while senior Megan Shaughnessy (23:42) rounded out the team's scorers with a 19th-place performance.  All of the Eagles' top five runners earned all-region honors as did sophomore Natalie Fenn (Evanston, IL), who crossed the line in 34th place with a time of 24:20.

This year's second-place showing marks the 18th straight season that Emory has finished among the top two finishers at the NCAA Regional Championships.

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

(Nov. 11) -  The 2008 Emory University men's and women's cross country teams head into the homestretch of the season on Saturday (Nov. 15) when they take part in the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Championships.  This year's competitions will be held in Seguin, Texas, and hosted by Texas Lutheran University.  The men's 8K race will begin at 9:00 a.m. (CST) while the women's 6K event is slated for a 10:00 a.m. (CST) start. 

There are eight regional championships being conducted around the country with the top two men's and women's teams from each regional earning automatic bids to the NCAA National Championships on Saturday, Nov. 22, in Hanover, Indiana.  In addition, there will be 16 at-large teams selected for both the men's and women's championships.

The Emory women's team has enjoyed considerable success over the years at the NCAA Regionals, logging first-place efforts in 16 of the past 17 seasons.  In 2007, the Eagles topped the 28-team field with 52 points, edging runner-up Trinity who finished with 54 points.  Seniors Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) and Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) recorded fifth and sixth-place finishes, respectively, en route to all-region honors.  In their most recent outing, the Emory women's team came in third at the University Athletic Association Championships (Nov. 1).  Freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) led Emory's effort by crossing the finish line in fifth position out of 76 runners with a 6K time of 22:06.  Jones came through with a sixth-place performance (22:14) and in the process landed First Team All-UAA recognition with Gallegos.  Warcyk was a second-team honoree after coming in 11th.

Last year's men's competition was a hotly-contested affair with Emory and Rhodes tying for first place with 76 points with Texas-Tyler in hot pursuit with 77 points. All seven of the Eagles' runners earned all-region kudos by virtue of their finishes, highlighted by current squad members Paul Winterhalter (Ardmore, PA) and Charles Meade (Wellesley, MA) who posted 10th and 16th-place efforts respectively, in the 170-runner field.  Emory has registered first-place efforts as a team in seven of the last nine regional championships.  At the UAA Championships, Emory chalked up a third-place finish, the program's best showing since the 2002 campaign, and had  Meade, along with Tommy Fyffe (Cincinnati, OH) earn First Team All-UAA status.

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


(Nov. 1) -- The Emory University women's cross country team recorded a third-place finish at the University Athletic Association Championships on Saturday afternoon. The event was held at the Georgia International Horse Park in nearby Conyers.

The Eagles finished with 80 points, trailing Case Western Reserve's No. 1 mark of 48 points and runner-up Washington University's 52 points.  Chicago (103 pts.) was fourth while Rochester (145 pts.) held down the No. 5 position.  Rounding out the field was Carnegie Mellon (150 pts.), Brandeis (185 pts.) and New York University (191 pts.).

Freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) paced the Emory effort and finished fifth overall in the 76-runner field with a 6K time of 22:06.  Senior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) crossed the finish line in sixth position with a showing a 22:14.  Both Gallegos and Jones earned First Team All-UAA honors by virtue of their finishes.  It represented Jones' initial berth to the first team after earning second-team spots in 2006 and 2007.  Senior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) turned in an 11th-place performance (22:32), allowing her to bring home Second Team All-UAA recognition.  Other scorers for Emory included junior Rebecca Flink (25th place, 22:59) and freshman Colleen Campbell (37th place, 23:24).

Emory's third-place finish represented the 18th straight year that the Eagles had finished third or better at the Championships.

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS HOST UAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Oct. 28) -  The 2008 Emory University men's and women's cross country teams set their sights on the 22nd annual University Athletic Association Championships this Saturday (Nov. 1).  Emory will serve as the host institution for the Championships which will be held at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, Ga.  The men's 8K race will begin at 11:00 a.m., while the women's 6K competition is slated for a noon start.

The New York University men's team enters the event as two-time defending champion.  Last year the Violets breezed to the title with 20 points as they had runners finish in the top three spots.  Carnegie Mellon finished runner-up with 68 points while Case Western Reserve University (121 pts.) and Emory (122 pts.) claimed third and fourth place, respectively, in the eight-team field. Leading the Emory effort last season was Paul Winterhalter whose time of 25:50 placed him 11th and earned him Second Team All-UAA recognition.  
 
Looking to spearhead the team this year will be the junior trio of Winterhalter, Charles Meade and Tommy Fyffe.  Meade has been the squad's No. 1 performer in three of his four races while Fyffe and Winterhalter have been among the Eagles' top three finishers in their four events.  Emory was ranked 13th in the nation in the Oct. 22 USTFCCA Poll while Carnegie Mellon (6th), NYU (10th) and Case Western (12th) were league teams tabbed for the national rankings.  

On the women's side, Emory will be looking to improve upon its third place showing from 2007 while unseating Washington University as the defending champ.  The Bears earned their fifth championship in six years with 31 points with Case Western's 44 points placing it second.  The Eagles totaled 58 points and were followed by Chicago (127 pts.) and the University of Rochester (140 pts.).  Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) posted Emory's top time with a 22:51, good for fifth place en route to First Team All-UAA recognition.  Melissa Jones crossed the finish line in ninth place and earned second-team league acclaim in the process.

Warcyk and Jones figure once again should mount a serious challenge in this year's championship as they have been Emory's most consistent runners, having finished among the top three in all their outings. 

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SQUAD CAPTURES FIRST PLACE AT FOOTHILLS INVITATIONAL  


(Oct. 19) - The Emory University women's cross country team finished in first place out of 11 teams Saturday at the Foothills Invitational.  The race was held in Oxford, Ala., and hosted by Jacksonville State University.

The Eagles recorded 24 points and were followed by runner-up Alabama-Huntsville's total of 41 points.  Alabama State (99 pts.) came in third and rounding out the top five squads were Montevallo (129 pts.) and Mercer (130 pts.).

Senior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) spearheaded a strong effort that saw Emory claim seven of the top 10 spots.  Jones posted a 5K time of 18:17, good for first place out of 94 entries.  Senior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) crossed the finish line in fourth place (18:44) while junior Rebecca Flink (18:49) and senior Megan Shaughnessy (18:59) claimed the No. 5 and Mo. 6 finishes, respectively.  Other Emory runners turning in top-10 times included freshman Coleen Campbell (19:04, 8th place), and sophomores Jenny Feinberg (19:09, 9th) and Natalie Fenn (19:13).

Emory returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 1, when it hosts the University Athletic Association Cross Country Championships in Conyers, Ga.

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS CONTINUE CAMPAIGNS

(Oct. 16) -  The 2008 Emory University men's and women's cross country teams continue their seasons on Saturday (Oct. 4) when they take part in separate competitions.  The women's team will run at the Jacksonville State University Foothills Invitational while the men's squad takes part in the Front Runner Challenge in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Foothills Invitational will be held at the Oxford Lake & Recreation Center in Oxford, Ala., while the men's event will be conducted at the Moccasin Bend Course starting at 4:00 p.m.   Both competitions will be 5K races.

The Emory men's team, ranked 12th nationally among Division III teams, will be returning to action after taking a break last weekend.  In their last outing, the Eagles, the lone Division III team competing, posted a ninth-place finish out of 24 teams at the Auburn Invitational (Oct. 4).  Juniors Charles Meade (23rd place), Tommy Fyffe (42nd place) and Paul Winterhalter (54th place) all turned in solid performances in the 213-runner field.

The 33rd-ranked women's team recorded an 11th-place showing out of 23 teams at the Auburn Invitational, and were led by senior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) who crossed the finish line in the 72nd spot out of 206 contestants. 

Following this weekend's action, the Eagles will host the University Athletic Association Championships on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Georgia International Horse Park in nearby Conyers, Ga.

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM FINISHES 11th  AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY'S MEL ROSEN INVITATIONAL


(Oct. 4) -- The Emory University women's cross country team recorded an 11th-place finish out of 23 teams in the Mel Rosen Orange Race Section at the Auburn University Invitational.  The competition was held at the Indian Pines Golf Course in Auburn, Alabama.

The Eagles, the lone Division III school in the race, finished the competition with 379 points.  The University of Washington, No. 2 among Division I programs, sped away with the top spot with 19 points.  Oregon State held down the runner-up position (98 pts.) while Iowa was right behind with 99 points.  Georgia (138 pts.) and Purdue (158) rounded out the top five finishers.

Senior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) paced the Emory effort, finishing 73rd overall out of 206 runners with a 5K time of 18:10.  Freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) was the second Eagle to cross the line with an effort of 18:14, good for the 77th spot. Senior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) turned in a showing of 18:21, placing her 85th.  Rounding out the Emory scorers were junior Rebecca Flink (18:35) and sophomore Jenny Feinberg (18:54).

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS COMPETE AT AUBURN INVITATIONAL

(Oct. 1) -  The 2008 Emory University men's and women's cross country teams continue their seasons on Saturday (Oct. 4) when they compete at the Auburn University Invitational.  The event will be held at Indiana Pines Golf Course in Auburn, Alabama.

This year's event will consist of two sections of men's and women's races.  The Emory's women's squad will be part of a 24-team field that will begin its race at 9:30 a.m. Among the squads that will be taking part in the Eagles' section include the University of Georgia, Florida State, Samford, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Purdue and Oregon State.

On the men's side, the Eagles are part of a 27-team field that starts its 8K race at 10:15 a.m.  Some of the programs represented in the competition include LSU, Tulane, the University of Washington, host Auburn, the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech.

Both of Emory's teams competed at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis last weekend.  The Eagle men's unit shined in the event, taking home second place out of 31 teams.  Junior Charles Meade paced the pack with a fifth-place finish out of 307 entries with a personal-best 8K time of 25:55.  Juniors Tommy Fyffe (12th, 26:09) and Paul Winterhalter (22nd, 26:27) also registered top-25 finishes.  Emory's performance enabled it to skyrocket up the No. 12 position among NCAA Division III teams, up from the 35th spot prior to the Griak Invitational.

The women's unit, competing without veterans Melissa Jones and Megan Shaughnessy, came in 16th out of 36 teams.  Senior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) was the team's top runner with a 6K time of 23:52, good for 37th place overall out of 497 runners.  The Eagles are ranked 35th nationally.

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM FINISHES 16th  AT GRIAK INVITATIONAL

(Sept. 27) - The No. 21-ranked Emory University women's cross country team came in 16th place out of 36 teams at the Griak Invitational on Saturday.  The event was held at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Minneapolis, MN.  

Claiming the top spot was No. 2-ranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire with 110 points.  Wartburg and UW-La Crosse, both tied for the No. 5 spot in the national polls came in second and third, respectively, with 151 and 160 points.  Emory closed out the competition with 434 points.

Senior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) was the No. 1 Emory runner with a 6K time of  23:52, good 37th place out of 497 contestants.  Freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) concluded the meet with a mark of 24:37, good for 84th place, while sophomore Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY) clocked out at  24:50, placing her 100th.  Rounding out the team's scorers were freshman Colleen Campbell (106th, 24:57) and sophomore Jenny Feinberg (107th, 24:57).

Emory returns to action on Oct. 4 when it competes at the Auburn University Invitational.

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS HEAD TO GRIAK  INVITATIONAL

(Sept. 25) - The Emory University men's and women's country teams continue their seasons on Saturday (Sept. 27) when they compete in the 23rd annual Roy Griak Invitational.  The meet will be held at the University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course with the women's 6K race scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m. and the men's 8K competition at 10:30 a.m.

Approximately 35 Division III teams will be competing at one the nation's most prestigious events.  Races are held for Division I, Division II and Division III intercollegiate teams as well as high schools and other classes or runners.  An anticipated 4,000 athletes are expected to take to the course over 10 races.

Emory men's team, ranked 35th nationally among Division III teams, is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Vanderbilt Invitational last weekend. Junior Alex Robin (Evanston, IL) led the Emory effort with a third-place finish out of 77 runners with a personal-best 8K time of 26:38.  Classmate Greg Decker (Rockville, MD) also turned in a good effort with his time of 27:10.15 good for 14th position.  After sitting out the Vanderbilt meet to focus on this weekend's event, the junior trio of Paul Winterhalter (Ardmore, PA), Tommy Fyffe (Cincinnati, OH) and Charles Meade (Wellesley, MA) look forward to making an impact.

The women's team holds down the No. 21 spot in the national rankings and recorded a third-place finish at the Vanderbilt Invitational.  Senior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) crossed the finish line in 10th place out of 77 entries with a 5K mark of 19:03.77 while freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) placed 15th with a 19:16.40.  This weekend will represent the first 6K race of the season for the women's team.

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM FINISHES THIRD AT COMMODORE INVITATIONAL

(Sept. 20) - The No. 19-ranked Emory University women's cross country team came in third place out of eight teams at the Commodore Invitational on Saturday.  The event was held in Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tenn., and hosted by Vanderbilt University.

The Eagles totaled 93 points and trailed host and first-place finisher Vanderbilt (31 pts.) and runner-up Albany (85 pts.).

Emory's top finisher was senior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN), who recorded a tenth-place finish in the 77-runner field with a 5K time of 19:03.77.  Freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) was the second Eagle to cross the line with an effort of 19:16.42, good for 15th position overall.  Senior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) posted a 20th-place performance (19:29.63) while junior Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY) and freshman Sara Gelb (Fort Meyers, FL) rounded out the team's scorers with 22nd  and 34th-place finishes, respectively. 

Emory returns to action on Sept. 27 when it competes at the Griak Invitational hosted by the University of Minnesota.

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS COMPETE AT COMMODORE CLASSIC

(Sept. 19) -  The 2008 Emory University men's and women's cross country teams continue their seasons on Saturday (Sept. 20) when they take part in the Commodore Classic.  The meet will be held at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tenn., and hosted by Vanderbilt University.  The men's 8000 meters race begins at 9:00 a.m., while the women's 5000 meters event is slated to start at 10:00 a.m.

Among the teams that comprise this year's field are Albany, Belmont, Bethel, Lipscomb, Memphis, Rhodes, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and Vanderbilt.

Head Coach John Curtin's teams swing back into action following a strong performance at the Sewanee Invitational (Sept. 6) with both sides recording second-place finishes out of 16 teams.  

The women were paced by seniors Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) and Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) who crossed the line in ninth and tenth place, respectively in the 149-runner field. 

The junior trio of Tommy Fyffe (Cincinnati, OH), Charles Meade (Wellesley, MA) and Paul Winterhalter (Ardmore, PA)  highlighted the men's effort, finishing 3-4-5, respectively, out 173 contestants.

Heading into the Commodore Invitational, the women's team is ranked 19th among Division III teams while the men hold down the No. 32 position.

EMORY WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM FINISHES SECOND AT SEWANEE INVITATIONAL

(Sept. 6) - The Emory University women's cross country team, ranked 19th in the nation, recorded a second-place finish out of 16 teams at the 28th annual Sewanee Invitational. 

The Eagles finished with 69 points and finished runner-up to Mississippi State's 30 points.  Rounding out the top five team finishers were Tennessee Tech (103 pts.), Rhodes College (112 pts.) and the University of Evansville (117 pts.).

Emory had three runners finish among the top 15 in the 149-runner field.  Senior Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH) paced the team and finished ninth overall with a 5K time of 19:19.  Senior Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) was right behind Waryck and crossed the finish line in 10th position with an effort of 19:23.  Freshman Tess Gallegos (Kennesaw, GA) posted a time of 19:39, good for 14th place, while junior Rebecca Flink (Loudonville, NY) came in 16th with an effort of 19:46.  Senior Megan Shaughnessy (San Antonio, TX) rounded out the Emory scorers with her mark of 19:55 good for 20th place.

Emory returns to action on Sept. 20 when it competes at the Commodore Invitational hosted by Vanderbilt University.

EMORY UNIVERSITY MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS COMPETE AT SEWANEE INVITATIONAL

(Sept. 5) - The Emory University men's and women's cross country teams will take part in the 28th annual Sewanee Invitational on Saturday (Sept. 6).  The women's 5K competition begins at 10:00 a.m. while the men's 8k race is slated to start at 11:00 a.m.  The Invitational will be held at the Sewanee Golf Course.

Along with Emory, some of the other teams scheduled to compete include Birmingham Southern, Bryan, Centre, Covenant, Evansville, Gadsden State, Lee, Maryville Mississippi State, Oglethorpe, Piedmont Reinhardt. Rhodes and Tennessee Tech and host Sewanee.

Last year, the Emory men's team recorded a second place finish out of 17 teams while the women's side took home runner-up honors out of 18 squads.  

EMORY CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS OPEN 2008 SEASON

(Aug. 28) -  The 2008 Emory University men's and women's cross country make their debut on Friday (Aug. 29) when they venture crosstown to compete against Georgia State.

Head Coach John Curtin and the women's squad are ranked 19th nationally among Division III teams by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. In addition, that organization has pegged the Eagles as the No. 1 squad in the South/Southeast Region.  Leading the way for this year's team will be seniors Melissa Jones (Zionsville, IN) and Natalie Waryck (Springfield, OH).  Jones, a 2006 All-American, earned Second Team All-University Athletic Association honors as well as All-South/Southeast Region acclaim a year ago.  All totaled, eight letterwinners return from last season's team that captured 17th place at the NCAA Championship.

The men's side is ranked No. 2 in the South/Southeast Region and received votes in the national poll.  The 2007 team earned a spot in the NCAA Championships and welcome back 10 monogram winners including junior Paul Winterhalter (Ardmore, PA), a First Team All-UAA selection and all-region honoree.  Other proven performers include juniors Tommy Fyffe (Cincinnati, OH) and Charles Meade (Wellesley, MA).

"This has been one of the smoothest preseasons that we have had in a long time," Curtin said.  "The kids showed up really fit and we have a strong group both on the men's and women's sides.  I'm encouraged by the way the kids trained over the summer and where we are right now."