The NCAA News - News and Features

November 10, 1997

Division III Men's Cross Country

Challengers pushing champion

Event: 1997 Division III Men's Cross Country Championships.

Overview: Wisconsin-La Crosse burst into the winner's circle for the first time in 1996, edging North Central and Wisconsin-Stevens Point by eight and 13 points, respectively. The race for the title could be even closer this year as the Eagles seek to maintain their championship grasp. Wisconsin-La Crosse, ranked No. 2 in the October 28 coaches' poll, returns seniors Brad Wilson and Brett Altergott in its bid to become only the fourth school to win consecutive titles. Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Williams and North Central are the only teams to win consecutive titles. North Central has accomplished the feat four times. Wilson and Altergott, who finished seventh and eighth, respectively, at the 1996 championships, headline a squad that includes juniors Jason Karls, James Muehr and Dan Peso and freshmen Andrew Johanson and Jason Tomrell. Wilson, Altergott and Karls placed first, fourth and seventh, respectively, at the Jim Drews Invitational October 18 to help the Eagles to a second-place showing .... The biggest threat to the Eagles' reign comes from nine-time champion North Central, which occupies the No. 1 spot in the coaches' poll. The Cardinals, who claimed the Jim Drews title by edging the host Eagles, Wisconsin-Stevens Point (ranked No. 4) and St. Thomas (Minnesota) (No. 7), boast a junior-dominated squad led by Ryan Board, Tony Rizzo, Jack Kafel and Weert Goldenstein. Seniors Jeff Stiles, Andy Snook and Jason Mayer round out the Cardinals' top seven. Rizzo, who placed sixth at the 1996 championships, and Stiles are the Cardinals' top returnees .... North Central isn't the only team looking to end the Eagles' reign. Title contenders include Mount Union (ranked No. 3), Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Brandeis, Williams and St. Thomas.

Field: A total of 184 individual competitors will be selected. Twenty-one teams of seven individuals each -- with at least one team from each of eight regions -- plus 37 individuals (at least three individuals from each region) will make up the field.

Dates and sites: Regional qualifying was November 8 at eight sites. The championships will be November 22 at MIT.

Information/results: The fax-on-demand telephone number is 770/399-3060 (passcode 1915); request numbers are 1290 for dates and sites and 5074 for championships results. Regional and championships results also will be available on the World Wide Web at www.ncaa.org. Regional results will be published in the November 24 issue of The NCAA News and championships results in the December 1 issue.