Colorado used personal-best finishes from each of its five scorers to claim its first Division I Women's Cross Country Championship November 20 at Iowa State.

The Buffaloes, with Kara Grgas-Wheeler leading the way by winning the individual title, posted a team score of 117 points. Brigham Young, the defending champion, was second, 50 points behind the winner.

Grgas-Wheeler added a cross country individual championship to her titles in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs in the 2000 Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships. After finishing ninth in last year's race, Grgas-Wheeler posted a 7.3-second victory over runner-up Sabrina Monro of Montana. Her time for 6,000 meters on a day with sub-zero wind chill was 20 minutes, 30.5 seconds.

"Between the weather and the course, the key was to be patient," said Grgas-Wheeler. "I wanted to let the others go out and do the work, and then take the lead at the three- or four-kilometer mark.

"With a mile to go, it started to get emotional. I didn't want it to come down to a kick in the final straightaway."

Freshman Sara Gorton was eighth for Colorado, which had a second-place team finish in 1995. Jodie Hughes placed 30th, Lesley Higgins 52nd and Tera Moody 70th for the Buffaloes. Neither Hughes, Higgins nor Moody had placed in the top 100 in their previous NCAA appearances.

"It feels very good, but it hasn't sunk in yet," said Colorado head coach Mark Wetmore. "It looks like we hit on all five cylinders. Kara ran very well, Sara ran very well.

"Jodie and Lesley came from behind and did what they needed to do just when they needed to do it."

Grgas-Wheeler said the cross country championship carried more significance for her. "This is much bigger than the track wins. This is everybody in one race with speed and endurance.

"This is the big show."

The victorious head coach had extra praise for Hughes and Gorton. "Jodie Hughes had her greatest race ever for us," Wetmore said. "At the starting line, she looked like she had just seen a bus wreck, but she ended up being the key to the race."

Team results

1. Colorado, 117; 2. Brigham Young, 167; 3. Stanford, 198; 4. Boston College, 214; 5. Georgetown, 247; 6. Arizona St., 266; 7. Yale, 285; 8. Wisconsin, 298; 9. Providence, 310; 10. Kansas St., 325.

11. North Carolina St., 336; 12. North Carolina, 338; 13. Arkansas, 365; 14. Michigan, 381; 15. Brown, 405; 16. Missouri, 414; 17. Colorado St., 437; 18. Texas A&M, 447; 19. Arizona, 476; 20. Villanova, 482.

21. West Virginia, 491; 22. Weber St., 505; 23. Washington, 521; 24. Duke, 539; 25. Columbia, 560; 26. Minnesota, 573; 27. Marquette, 589; 28. Oregon, 619; 29. Wake Forest, 651; 30. South Fla., 682.

31. Georgia Tech, 742.

Individual results

1. Kara Grgas-Wheeler, Colorado, 20:30.5; 2. Sabrina Monro, Montana, 20:37.8; 3. Erica Palmer, Wisconsin, 20:39.9; 4. Shalane Flanagan, North Carolina, 20:42.7; 5. Lisa Aguilera, Arizona St., 20:46.3; 6. Amy Mortimer, Kansas St., 20:50.1; 7. Sheela Agrawal, Duke, 20:50.4; 8. Sara Gorton, Colorado, 20:51.3; 9. Bethany Brewster, Wisconsin, 20:53.3; 10. Larissa Kleinmann, Arkansas, 20:54.0.

11. Lauren Fleshman, Stanford, 20:54.5; 12. Korene Hinds, Kansas St., 20:56.5; 13. Megan Guiney, Boston College, 21:05.1; 14. Susanne Heyer, Penn St., 21:09.0; 15. Anita Looper, UTEP, 21:10.5; 16. Katie Jazwinski, Michigan, 21:11.4; 17. Melanie Steere, Brigham Young, 21:12.5; 18. Tara Northcutt, Brigham Young, 21:12.9; 19. Sara Tindall, Brown, 21:13.8; 20. Sara Wells, Oklahoma St., 21:15.3.

21. Cami Matson, Washington, 21:15.8; 22. Melissa Gulli, Texas A&M, 21:17.2; 23. Erin Dromgoole, Dartmouth, 21:17.5; 24. Katie Ryan, Boston College, 21:17.6; 25. Erin Sullivan, Stanford, 21:18.9; 26. Andrea Bookout, Texas A&M, 21:19.2; 27. Ann Somerville, Michigan St., 21:20.4; 28. Marina Kruppa, Georgetown, 21:20.7; 29. Sharon Dickie, Tennessee, 21:21.8; 30. Jodie Hughes, Colorado, 21:22.1.

31. Kate O'Neill, Yale, 21:22.8; 32. Laura O'Neill, Yale, 21:23.4; 33. Rebecca Bennion, Weber St., 21:24.0; 34. Catherine Guiney, Boston College, 21:24.4; 35. Rachel Hixson, Providence, 21:25.0; 36. Katie Sabino, North Carolina St., 21:25.1; 37. Kim Thalmann, Brown, 21:25.5; 38. Tracy Robertson, Arkansas, 21:25.9; 39. Sharolyn Shields, Brigham Young, 21:27.3; 40. Gladys Keitany, TCU, 21:28.5.

41. Emily Enstice, Georgetown, 21:29.5; 42. Maria-Elena Calle, Va. Commonwealth, 21:30.0; 43. Sita Waru, McNeese St., 21:30.9; 44. Katie Nowak, Ball St., 21:31.0; 45. Tara Chaplin, Arizona, 21:32.2; 46. Cynthia Atencio, Arizona St., 21:33.2; 47. Mary Jane Harrelson, Appalachian St., 21:33.7; 48. Allyson Hammond, Indiana, 21:33.9; 49. Darja Vasiljeva, Minnesota, 21:34.0; 50. Keely Weaver, Belmont, 21:34.1.

51. Mary Duerbeck, Arizona St., 21:34.3; 52. Lesley Higgins, Colorado, 21:34.6; 53. Annie Wetterhus, Kansas St., 21:35.0; 54. Elizabeth Roodell, Colorado St., 21:35.7; 55. Katie Martin, Brigham Young, 21:36.2; 56. Nicole Ricci, Portland, 21:36.5; 57. Christine Kane, St. Joseph's, 21:36.6; 58. Elena Villarreal, Stanford, 21:37.0; 59. Heather Sagan, Liberty, 21:37.3; 60. Heather Anderson, Montana, 21:37.6.

61. Christy Nichols, North Carolina St., 21:37.8; 62. Kelly Brinkman, Iowa St., 21:38.0; 63. Kara Newton, Baylor, 21:38.4; 64. Hanna Smedstad, Oregon, 21:38.6; 65. Liz Awtrey, Villanova, 21:39.3; 66. Francine Darroch, Providence, 21:40.4; 67. Susan Rutherford, Northern Ariz., 21:41.1; 68. Susan Barth, Marquette, 21:42.0; 69. Carrie Gould, Eastern Mich., 21:42.9; 70. Christina Bowen, UCLA, 21:43.3.

71. Tera Moody, Colorado, 21:44.0; 72. Rebecca Stallwood, West Virginia, 21:45.3; 73. Kim Timberlake, North Carolina, 21:46.0; 74. Katie Barto, UNLV, 21:47.0; 75. Melissa Foon, Navy, 21:47.9; 76. Alexandra Lindquist, Oklahoma St., 21:48.4; 77. Lisa Ouellet, Michigan, 21:49.0; 78. Autumn Fogg, Georgetown, 21:49.5; 79. Kerry Hils, Missouri, 21:50.0; 80. Bolpar Vinh, Boston U., 21:50.7.

81. Kathryn Casserly, Providence, 21:51.1; 82. Katie Meyer, Missouri, 21:51.2; 83. Jane Martineau, Michigan, 21:51.5; 84. Christin Wurth, Arkansas, 21:52.0; 85. Julie Culley, Rutgers, 21:52.2; 86. Ann Marie Brooks, Missouri, 21:52.4; 87. Nerissa Johnson, Auburn, 21:53.0; 88. Julia Stamps, Stanford, 21:54.5; 89. Kate Bradshaw, Washington, 21:55.0; 90. Caitlin Hickin, Columbia, 21:55.6.

91. Katrin Engelen, Arizona, 21:55.8; 92. Bethany Harry, Marquette, 21:56.2; 93. Karin Lockhart, West Virginia, 21:56.7; 94. Sarah Ellett, Brigham Young, 21:56.8; 95. Kathleen Rigney, Yale, 21:57.0; 96. Mariel Ettinger, Stanford, 21:57.2; 97. Jennifer Kramer, Boston College, 21:57.6; 98. Amanda Pape, Georgetown, 21:57.9; 99. Victoria Jackson, North Carolina, 21:58.3; 100. Kristen Gordon, Georgetown, 21:58.5.

101. Beth Fonner, North Carolina St., 21:58.7; 102. Emily Tallen, Providence, 21:59.0; 103. Kareen Nilsson, UC Irvine, 21:59.5; 104. Catherine Wright, Colorado, 21:59.9; 105. Genny Minnoch, Weber St., 22:00.1; 106. Amy Wiseman, Arkansas, 22:00.5; 107. Lindsay Mitchell, Yale, 22:00.9; 108. Ann McGranahan, Villanova, 22:01.2; 109. Elaine Eggleston, Minnesota, 22:01.6; 110. Emily Furia, William & Mary, 22:02.4.

111. Sara Day, Wake Forest, 22:03.5; 112. Liz Reusser, Wisconsin, 22:03.7; 113. Michelle Lilienthal, Wisconsin, 22:04.7; 114. Brianna Torres, Arizona St., 22:05.5; 115. Jillian Mastroianni, Stanford, 22:06.2; 116. Marisa Keefe, Colorado St., 22:06.3; 117. Beth Kraft, North Carolina St., 22:06.4; 118. Ashley La Budde, Alabama, 22:06.9; 119. Megan Sullivan, Duke, 22:07.3; 120. Julie Spolidoro, Boston College, 22:07.4.

121. Beth George, North Carolina, 22:08.2; 122. Jennifer Burris, Arizona, 22:09.2; 123. Renee Metivier, Georgia Tech, 22:09.6; 124. Lorena Adams, Georgetown, 22:09.9; 125. Katherine La France, Yale, 22:10.0; 126. Rachel Evjen, Northwestern, 22:11.7; 127. Jennifer Kintzley, Colorado St., 22:12.4; 128. Sharon Van Tuyl, Boston College, 22:12.9; 129. Rosie Woodford, Brown, 22:13.3; 130. Sunny Gilbert, Missouri, 22:13.4.

131. Marget Larson, Colorado St., 22:14.9; 132. Brooke Edwards, Texas A&M, 22:15.3; 133. Michele Palmer, Vermont, 22:15.5; 134. Haley Acre, Columbia, 22:16.2; 135. Amy Dock, Georgia Tech, 22:16.3; 136. Lauren Harrison, Columbia, 22:16.5; 137. Kristin Cisowski, Massachusetts, 22:16.8; 138. Ekatertini Fotopoulou, Kansas St., 22:17.4; 139. Rita Arndt, South Fla., 22:17.8; 140. Rebecca Mitchell, Villanova, 22:19.0.

141. Diana Henderson, North Carolina St., 22:19.2; 142. Colleen Burke, Arizona St., 22:19.5; 143. Colleen Kelly, Georgetown, 22:20.6; 144. Claire Shearman, Providence, 22:21.0; 145. Roisin McGettigan, Providence, 22:21.6; 146. Erin White, Michigan, 22:21.9; 147. Merissa Sexsmith, West Virginia, 22:22.1; 148. Michaela Mannova, New Orleans, 22:22.6; 149. Katie Atlas, Duke, 22:23.6; 150. Lindsey Thomsen, Brigham Young, 22:23.9.

151. Laura Smith, Boston College, 22:24.8; 152. Nan Evans, Brigham Young, 22:25.1; 153. Rhiannon Glenn, Oregon, 22:25.6; 154. Amanda Brewster, Yale, 22:26.3; 155. Renee Gunning, Villanova, 22:26.7; 156. Katie Yemm, Colorado St., 22:27.4; 157. Tara Quinn, South Fla., 22:28.1; 158. Kara Syrdal, Washington, 22:28.9; 159. Risa Rutland, Wake Forest, 22:29.2; 160. Megan Metcalfe, West Virginia, 22:29.4.

161. Hilary Edmondson, Wisconsin, 22:29.8; 162. Rebecca Walker, North Carolina, 22:30.5; 163. Amy Beykirch, North Carolina St., 22:31.3; 164. Melissa Stellato, Columbia, 22:31.7; 165. Anita Menden, Minnesota, 22:31.9; 166. Jenna Richardson, Brown, 22:32.7; 167. Rachel Bennion, Weber St., 22:33.0; 168. Cynthia Losee, Weber St., 22:33.3; 169. Angie Morey, Brown, 22:33.8; 170. Denise Hefferin, Wake Forest, 22:34.9.

171. Geraldine McCarthy, Villanova, 22:35.2; 172. Jen Schindler, Washington, 22:35.7; 173. Cori Kill, South Fla., 22:36.6; 174. Kim Leal, Colorado St., 22:37.4; 175. Erika Jacobson, Marquette, 22:38.3; 176. Katie Crabb, Oregon, 22:38.9; 177. Danielle Blaisdell, Weber St., 22:40.4; 178. Johanna Fisher, West Virginia, 22:41.7; 179. Erin Doherty, Arizona, 22:42.4; 180. Lisa Cappello, Providence, 22:43.1.

181. Nicole McCarthy, South Fla., 22:43.4; 182. Mary Hale, Brown, 22:44.0; 183. Nicole Gurnicz, Arizona, 22:44.5; 184. Victoria Moses, Minnesota, 22:44.9; 185. Rebecca Hunter, Yale, 22:45.2; 186. Katie Ryan, Michigan, 22:45.6; 187. Ashley McLeod, Missouri, 22:45.9; 188. Carrie Long, Weber St., 22:46.1; 189. Kathleen Kuhnert, Wake Forest, 22:46.3; 190. Jennifer Whatley, Texas A&M, 22:47.0.

191. Sarah Steadman, Texas A&M, 22:47.3; 192. Katie Easton, Michigan, 22:47.5; 193. Leslie Patterson, Wisconsin, 22:47.9; 194. Eri MacDonald, Oregon, 22:50.4; 195. Maddy Woodmansee, Duke, 22:51.0; 196. Laura Harmon, Oregon, 22:51.2; 197. Becca Veenstra, Wake Forest, 22:51.9; 198. Sonja Shedden, UCF, 22:52.3; 199. Kim Bates, Arizona, 22:54.0; 200. Erin Swain, North Carolina St., 22:55.3.

201. Janae Johnson, Weber St., 22:56.3; 202. Carre Joyce, Villanova, 22:57.5; 203. Beth Martin, Arizona St., 22:57.7; 204. Amanda Crouse, Kansas St., 22:58.9; 205. Brianna Dahm, Marquette, 22:59.7; 206. Erin Raggio, Columbia, 23:02.3; 207. Sara Pardue, Georgia Tech, 23:02.5; 208. Kristy Bonn, Texas A&M, 23:03.1; 209. Jessie Swan, Marquette, 23:03.2; 210. Kristin McFerron, Arizona St., 23:03.5.

211. Lisa Nagorny, Duke, 23:09.7; 212. Tiffany Quinn, South Fla., 23:09.9; 213. Kayci Waters, Texas A&M, 23:10.3; 214. Christy Virgin, Colorado St., 23:10.7; 215. Kristy Fuller, South Fla., 23:11.2; 216. Meghan Courtney, Villanova, 23:14.0; 217. Victoria Chang, Stanford, 23:14.5; 218. Corinne Nimtz, Minnesota, 23:15.2; 219. Katherine Bonugli, Missouri, 23:19.3; 220. Carrie Zografos, Oregon, 23:20.2.

221. Audrey Schilts, Marquette, 23:21.4; 222. Laura Schmid, Duke, 23:22.9; 223. Liza English, Washington, 23:25.0; 224. Michelle Gross, Brown, 23:26.3; 225. Lindsey Gallo, Michigan, 23:28.7; 226. Amy Edwards, Georgia Tech, 23:34.4; 227. Krista Anderson, Minnesota, 23:34.9; 228. Eboni Crosby, Georgia Tech, 23:36.0; 229. Brittney Mensen, Arkansas, 23:37.3; 230. Laine Misch, Minnesota, 23:40.1.

231. Alison Zeinner, Arkansas, 23:41.3; 232. Julianne Kronoshek, Kansas St., 23:43.0; 233. Jennifer Walczuk, South Fla., 23:46.3; 234. Nicole Kalogeropoulos, Wake Forest, 23:54.8; 235. Erin Haugh, Wake Forest, 23:55.2; 236. Catherine Holston, Kansas St., 23:58.1; 237. Allison Hofmann, Duke, 24:02.0; 238. Petra Meier, West Virginia, 24:05.3; 239. Ali Nicolas, Columbia, 24:05.8; 240. Erinn Gulbrandsen, Oregon, 24:06.7.

241. Amy Chipman, Missouri, 24:09.0; 242. Betsy Bulat, Georgia Tech, 24:10.7; 243. Beth Hoge, Arizona, 24:14.4; 244. Bobbie Munson, North Carolina, 24:19.9; 245. Londa Bevins, Arkansas, 24:24.0; 246. Jennie Sucher, North Carolina, 24:28.5; 247. Susan Werner, Washington, 24:32.1; 248. Kim Dorman, West Virginia, 24:38.8; 249. Kate Spigel, Washington, 24:43.6; 250. Liz Burke, Columbia, 24:56.9.

251. Ashley Espy, Georgia Tech, 24:59.2; 252. Jen Fazioli, Colorado, 26:14.8; Jamie Haro, Marquette, did not finish; Briana Stott-Messick, Wisconsin, did not start; Tuula Laitinen, Toledo, did not start.