The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- December 7, 1998

Calvin captures women's crown

Cortland State freshman is meet's individual winner

For the Calvin women's cross country team, it was a long time coming.

For Cortland State's Cheryl Smith, there was no wait at all.

In its 10th appearance, Calvin won its first team title in the Division III Women's Cross Country Championships, held November 21 at Dickinson. The Knights had finished second three times in their previous appearances, but broke through with three finishers among the top 35.

Lisa Timmer topped Calvin's championship team by placing 10th. Amy Mizzone was two spots behind Timmer, and Andrea Clark was 35th.

Calvin became the first team other than Cortland State or Wisconsin-Oshkosh to win the team title in the 1990s.

Meanwhile, Smith captured the individual title in a field of 183 competitors as a freshman. She covered the 5,000-meter course in 17:48.39, for a comfortable 13-second victory over runner-up Noel Whitall of College of New Jersey.

Smith is the fourth Cortland State individual champion, the most for one institution in Division III women's cross country history.

Calvin's winning team total of 124 points gave it a 46-point margin over second-place College of New Jersey. Wisconsin-Oshkosh was third, followed by Carnegie Mellon and Cortland State.

Chicago's Rhaina Echols was third individually, with 1997 runner-up Sarah Anderson of Wisconsin-Superior fourth and Maree George of Pacific Lutheran fifth.