The NCAA News - News and Features

November 3, 1997

Division II Women's Cross Country

Sixth title in Adams State's sight

Event: 1997 Division II Women's Cross Country Championships.

Overview: Few institutions can boast of an unblemished record in any NCAA championships competition, but Adams State can. Five years of NCAA competition have resulted in five titles. The school's streak ranks second behind Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which won 10 consecutive championships from 1982 through 1991. The Grizzlies, who return six of seven competitors from their 1996 championship squad, are likely to extend their skein to seven championships. Denise Summers, defending individual champion, leads a team that includes seniors Janelle Olson, Nara Hawker and Pamela White, junior Kim Bugg, and sophomore Ruby Failing. Summers is vying to become the fourth individual to win consecutive titles. Adams State was ranked No. 1 in the October 21 top-25 poll. It easily outdistanced the field and posted a near-perfect score of 19 to win the Rocky Mountain Shootout October 4 .... Title contenders Lewis, UC Davis, Western State and North Dakota State won't concede the title easily. Lewis, the No. 2-ranked team, looks to better its 1996 third-place finish behind a talented and deep squad. Kasia Arient (1996 individual runner-up), Malgorzata Biela and Magdalena Paszta headline the Flyers' title hopes. UC Davis, Western State (1996 runner-up) and North Dakota State ranked Nos. 3, 4 and 5, respectively, in the October 21 poll. Sarah Dickerman, Megan Canova and Kirstin Kabo lead the way for UC Davis, which placed ninth in 1996. North Dakota State, which won the North Central Conference championships October 18, is paced by Mary Gill and Codi Lehr .... The Great Lakes and South Central regions each automatically qualify four teams for the championships.

Field: A total of 132 individual competitors will be selected. Seventeen teams of seven individuals each -- with at least one team from each of six regions -- plus 13 individuals (at least two individuals from each region) will make up the field.

Dates and sites: Regional qualifying will be November 8 at six sites. The championships will be November 22 at Wisconsin-Parkside.

Information/results: The fax-on-demand telephone number is 770/399-3060 (passcode 1915); request numbers are 1285 for dates and sites and 5077 for championships results. Championships results also will be available on the World Wide Web at www.ncaa.org. Results will be published in the December 1 issue of The NCAA News.