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The NCAA News -- December 7, 1998

Villanova adds new chapter to old book by taking team title

Those watching the Division I Women's Cross Country Championships may have thought it was the late 1980s or early 1990s.

That's because the 1998 championships concluded in the same way as the 1989 through 1993 championships -- with Villanova on top.

Garnering four of the top 18 team places, the Wildcats totaled 106 points to ease past Brigham Young and Stanford and win their seventh title November 23 at Kansas.

Michigan's Katie McGregor became the first Wolverines competitor to win the individual championship.

The championships, which featured 31 teams and 255 individuals, were held concurrently with the Division II event for the first time with Kansas serving as host of the Division I races and Emporia State hosting the Division II events.

The title ended the Wildcats' three-year championship drought.

Brigham Young, the 1997 champion, totaled 110 points to earn runner-up honors, while Stanford, the 1996 champion, placed third with 111. The five-point margin from first to third place was the smallest since 1983, when four points separated the top three teams.

Georgetown and Wisconsin occupied the fourth and fifth slots, respectively.

"Brigham Young, I thought, was the overwhelming favorite, but I thought if we ran well, we could beat them," said first-year Wildcats coach Marcus O'Sullivan. "I'm happy for the girls because it means all the work they put in paid off. "That's the most important thing.

"They're ecstatic. Just ecstatic."

The Wildcats' return to the top was keyed by senior Carrie Tollefson, freshman Sarah Goodman, senior Kristen Nicolini and junior Carmen Douma, who finished 11th, 12th, 17th and 21st overall, respectively.

Tollefson, the 1997 individual champion, did not compete in a race until October 30 because of heel surgery in the off-season but finished the 5,000-meter course in 17 minutes, 16.87 seconds.

Goodman finished right behind Tollefson, concluding her first year as a collegian with a time of 17:18.35.

Nicolini posted a time of 17:21.39, while Douma finished in 17:26.66.

Senior Kristine Jost accounted for the remainder of Villanova's points, claiming the 69th place overall in 18:00.17.

McGregor, who placed fifth individually in 1997, surprised the field of 255 in winning her first title.

A senior, McGregor clocked in with a time of 16:47.21, more than six seconds ahead of 1996 champion and 1997 runner-up Amy Skieresz of Arizona.

"I'm proud of myself, but it's just one race," said McGregor. "I think maybe someday it will hit me, when I'm done running and wishing I was still out here. But right now I don't want to get too excited about it.

"There's still indoor and outdoor (track) left. I may not win the next race."