The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- December 7, 1998

Adams State returns to winning ways with team title in men's cross country

Recent NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country Championships haven't been good to Adams State.

The Grizzlies, who burst onto the NCAA scene in 1992 and claimed three consecutive titles, earned only one top-10 finish in the last three years.

That's changed. The Grizzlies are back.

With Shawn Nixon claiming the fourth individual spot and the Grizzlies' next four competitors monopolizing positions 18 through 22, Adams State compiled 68 points to return to the winner's circle November 23 at Kansas.

Freshman Yi Min Wu of Edinboro won the individual crown.

The championships were held concurrently with the Division I event for the first time with Emporia State hosting the Division II events and Kansas serving as host of the Division I races.

The title was the fourth for Adams State, which ranks tied for second with Edinboro in championships titles behind South Dakota State (five).

Western State, which has placed among the top four in each of its six years of NCAA competition, finished runner-up for the third time. The Mountaineers totaled 74 points.

Competing in its record 41st consecutive championships, South Dakota garnered third-place honors with 81 points. South Dakota has competed at every championships.

Edinboro (142 points) and Abilene Christian (163) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Adams State's women's team also won the title, marking the fourth time that the school has swept the titles.

Nixon, who placed 22nd at the 1997 championships, led the way for coach Damon Martin's squad, concluding his collegiate career by posting a time of 31 minutes, 30.40 over the 10,000-meter course. Nixon's showing ranked third among team competitors.

With Nixon out front, the remainder of the Grizzlies' quintet formed a tight-knit pack that ensured the Grizzlies' return to the top after a three-year absence.

Junior Carl Blackhurst was second in the Adams State procession, placing 18th overall and 14th in the team standings with a time of 32:18.70.

Juniors David McQuitty and Christopher Hollmann and sophomore Jason Hubbard guaranteed the victory for Adams State by securing the 20th, 21st and 22nd overall places, respectively.

McQuitty clocked in at 32:23.70, which placed him 16th in the team standings, while Hollmann, who placed 14th overall in 1997, and Hubbard were less than two seconds behind.

Wu gave Edinboro its third individual title and first since 1991, cruising to a time of 31:06.60. The mark was nearly 10 seconds ahead of runner-up Musa Gwanzura of Abilene Christian (31:16.50), who jumped 13 spots after a 15th-place showing in 1997.