Western State overcame a one-two finish by Abilene Christian runners with five top-10 efforts to repeat as champion in the Division II Men's Cross Country Championships November 18.

Cal Poly Pomona hosted the championships at Prado Park in Chino, California.

Western State finished with a team score of 29 points, followed by Abilene Christian with 62 and Adams State with 96.

Michael Aish, Josephus LeRoux and Rubin McRae finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively, for Western State. Aish, the defending individual champion, covered the 10,000-meter course in 31 minutes, 3.0 seconds. LeRoux was three seconds behind his teammate, and McRae's time was 31:15.3.

Paul McRae placed seventh and Scott Nagelkerke was 10th for the Mountaineers, who won their third title.

"We knew that our guys had to run their best race of the year," Western State head coach Duane Vandenbusche said. "In the big races, you have to come through and our guys did just that."

Abilene Christian's Alfred Rugema set the course record with a time of 30:17.0 to win the men's individual title. He is the first individual winner for the Wildcats, who also posted their highest team finish in the championship.

"It feels good to be a champion," said Ruguma. "This course was a challenging one to run on with its sharp turns, hills and soft soil.

"I knew the other runners in the race were very competitive athletes. At one point, I looked to see who was behind me and everyone was far away and I realized that I was the champion."

John Kemboi placed second for Abilene Christian, more than 41 seconds behind Rugema, and Gilbert Tuhabonye placed eighth for the Wildcats.

"Western State had a good race," said Abilene Christian head coach Jon Murray. "They set the standard for the meet."

Edinboro was fourth and UC Davis fifth in the team scoring. Jeff Barker of Edinboro was the first finisher from an institution other than Western State or Abilene Christian, placing sixth.

Team results

1. Western St., 29; 2. Abilene Christian, 62; 3. Adams St., 96; 4. Edinboro, 124; 5. UC Davis, 145; 6. Mo. Southern St., 210; 7. South Dakota, 239; 8. Cal St. Chico, 243; 9. South Dakota St., 280; 10. Truman, 305.

11. Minn. St.-Mankato, 319; 12. Harding, 329; 13. Central Mo. St., 332; 14. Humboldt St., 346; 15. Ashland, 363; 16. Hillsdale, 397; 17. Mass.-Lowell, 440; 18. Bentley, 470; 19. Shippensburg, 504; 20. Lock Haven, 507.

21. Indianapolis, 531; 22. Kennesaw St., 544; 23. St. Augustine's, 674; 24. Barton, 718.

Individual results

1. Alfred Rugema, Abilene Christian, 30:17.0; 2. John Kemboi, Abilene Christian, 30:58.3; 3. Michael Aish, Western St., 31:03.0; 4. Josephus LeRoux, Western St., 31:06.0; 5. Rubin McRae, Western St., 31:15.3; 6. Jeff Barker, Edinboro, 31:19.5; 7. Paul McRae, Western St., 31:43.3; 8. Gilbert Tuhabonye, Abilene Christian, 31:44.6; 9. Petri Kykyri, Mo. Southern St., 31:55.1; 10. Scott Nagelkerke, Western St., 31:56.5.

11. Aaron Rowe, Edinboro, 31:57.8; 12. Arturo Cabral, Lewis, 31:58.3; 13. Yi Min Wu, Edinboro, 32:00.5; 14. Jason Hubbard, Adams St., 32:03.1; 15. Jeff Kaiser, UC Davis, 32:04.9; 16. Nick Cordes, Ashland, 32:05.1; 17. Carlos Vasquez, Pittsburg St., 32:06.3; 18. Julio Serratos, Adams St., 32:07.7; 19. Brandon Leslie, Adams St., 32:10.2; 20. Arthemon Sindayigaya, Abilene Christian, 32:28.5.

21. Jose Merino, Adams St., 32:29.5; 22. Gary Mello, Bentley, 32:31.9; 23. Adrian DeWald, UC Davis, 32:35.4; 24. Valdimir Golias, Central Mo. St., 32:36.5; 25. Peter Clusener, Humboldt St., 32:40.1; 26. Nelson Laux, Western St., 32:41.6; 27. Andy Doering, Truman, 32:42.3; 28. Josh Eberly, Western St., 32:43.4; 29. Noah Deyo, South Dakota, 32:43.7; 30. Rob Mortensen, Lock Haven, 32:45.8.

31. Ryan Miller, UC Davis, 32:46.9; 32. Karl Gilpin, Mo. Southern St., 32:48.0; 33. Dave McQuitty, Adams St., 32:49.3; 34. Jason Probasco, South Dakota, 32:49.7; 35. Nick Branen, Abilene Christian, 32:50.4; 36. Martin Rosendahl, Minn. St.-Mankato, 32:51.2; 37. Matthew Gonzales, N.M. Highlands, 32:53.6; 38. Jose Saenz, Cal St. Chico, 32:55.5; 39. Mike Cropper, Lewis, 32:56.8; 40. Brad Poore, UC Davis, 32:57.6.

41. James Mullenix, Minn. St.-Mankato, 32:59.9; 42. Linus Chepkwony, Harding, 33:01.4; 43. Ben Rosario, Truman, 33:01.9; 44. Eron Tello, Cal St. Chico, 33:02.9; 45. Zepherinus Joseph, North Fla., 33:04.5; 46. Kevin Doe, South Dakota St., 33:04.8; 47. Nick Burrow, South Dakota St., 33:10.3; 48. Bob Sams, Kennesaw St., 33:12.5; 49. Nat Wibberly, Edinboro, 33:13.9; 50. Paul Wellman, UC Davis, 33:15.4.

51. Andrew Blau, South Dakota St., 33:18.6; 52. David Dunbar, UC San Diego, 33:19.0; 53. Johnathon Campbell, Emporia St., 33:20.8; 54. Eric Houghton, Hillsdale, 33:22.1; 55. Christopher Irumva, Morehouse, 33:26.8; 56. Adam Lindahl, South Dakota, 33:28.1; 57. Tyler Graff, Cal St. Chico, 33:31.4; 58. Chris Raabe, North Dakota St., 33:31.5; 59. Tobias Schwoerer, Alas. Anchorage, 33:32.2; 60. Larry Boswell, Mo. Southern St., 33:32.6.

61. Ryan Kelly, Edinboro, 33:32.9; 62. Jeremy Lowry, Ashland, 33:33.0; 63. Scott Wietecha, Harding, 33:34.5; 64. Magnus Holmstrom, Mo. Southern St., 33:34.8; 65. Ted Gustafson, Minn. St.-Mankato, 33:35.3; 66. Japheth Langat, Harding, 33:36.2; 67. Nate Bristow, UC Davis, 33:36.3; 68. Damian Rogers, Humboldt St., 33:36.6; 69. Daniel Embaye, Cal St. Chico, 33:44.2; 70. Rafael Lopez, Cal St. Chico, 33:46.7.

71. Jacob Christensen, South Dakota, 33:50.2; 72. Louie White, Humboldt St., 33:52.0; 73. Jay Hill, Central Mo. St., 33:53.2; 74. Greg Darbyshire, South Dakota St., 33:53.6; 75. Jean-Marie Ndikumana, Abilene Christian, 33:53.9; 76. Dave Friedrich, Hillsdale, 33:54.6; 77. Brian Lyons, Mo. Southern St., 33:55.5; 78. Alhaji Alhassan, St. Augustine's, 33:56.0; 79. Alan Heincker, Truman, 33:56.4; 80. Vernon Ruiz, Cal St. Chico, 33:57.5.

81. Edward Whetham, South Dakota, 33:58.5; 82. Khelli Leitch, Indianapolis, 34:00.5; 83. Brayce Forsha, Central Mo. St., 34:04.0; 84. Paul Bennett, Central Mo. St., 34:04.3; 85. John Kuehn, UC Davis, 34:09.5; 86. Jonathan Murphy, Mass.-Lowell, 34:18.0; 87. David Farnsworth, South Dakota, 34:19.5; 88. Kevin Alliette, Mass.-Lowell, 34:20.4; 89. James Stehle, Shippensburg, 34:23.6; 90. Derick Williamson, Lees-McRae, 34:24.6.

91. Michael Rothermel, Shippensburg, 34:25.7; 92. Matt Helbig, Truman, 34:27.6; 93. Tim Hufford, Ashland, 34:28.5; 94. Austin Vigil, Adams St., 34:30.0; 95. Roch Furguiele, Slippery Rock, 34:32.3; 96. Derek Watulak, Bentley, 34:35.8; 97. Kevin Blacquiere, Hillsdale, 34:36.1; 98. Randy Scherer, Hillsdale, 34:36.6; 99. Martin Wennblom, South Dakota St., 34:37.3; 100. Nathaniel Jenkins, Mass.-Lowell, 34:39.4.

101. Andrew Scharff, Harding, 34:43.1; 102. Carl Mease, Mass.-Lowell, 34:44.3; 103. Mark DeBold, Truman, 34:46.3; 104. Nate Coleman, Minn. St.-Mankato, 34:48.5; 105. Scott Penick, Harding, 34:50.4; 106. Kimmo Lasilla, Edinboro, 34:50.7; 107. Shawn Sparks, Lock Haven, 34:50.8; 108. Chris Kopp, South Dakota St., 34:53.1; 109. Lehrin Morey, Humboldt St., 34:53.7; 110. Greg Mason, Kennesaw St., 34:55.2.

111. Eric Narcisis, Bryant, 34:57.8; 112. Danny Butler, Indianapolis, 34:58.3; 113. Joe Mack, Central Mo. St., 34:59.0; 114. Quinn Dauer, Minn. St.-Mankato, 34:59.2; 115. Ryan Carroll, Barton, 34:59.7; 116. Joe Reynolds, Edinboro, 35:02.3; 117. Eric Demorice, Shippensburg, 35:09.8; 118. Vince Swartzentruber, Ashland, 35:12.4; 119. Adam Hall, Humboldt St., 35:13.0; 120. Nick Gai, Humboldt St., 35:14.2.

121. Eric Sherry, Mass.-Lowell, 35:15.3; 122. Joe Soehnlen, Ashland, 35:17.9; 123. Joseph Sans, Mass.-Lowell, 35:18.2; 124. John Parson, Indianapolis, 35:20.9; 125. Jeff Tomcho, Ashland, 35:21.9; 126. Steve Larson, Hillsdale, 35:23.8; 127. Mike Merrill, Bentley, 35:26.3; 128. Boris Dinaburg, Shippensburg, 35:29.3; 129. Edwin Bii, Kennesaw St., 35:31.5; 130. Ryan Comstock, Lock Haven, 35:34.1.

131. Matt Hangen, Ashland, 35:37.3; 132. Christopher Layman, Cal St. Chico, 35:38.7; 133. Jason Chaput, Minn. St.-Mankato, 35:43.7; 134. Sean Branch, Indianapolis, 35:44.1; 135. David McCollam, Alderson-Broaddus, 35:45.7; 136. Robert Duffy, Mass.-Lowell, 35:47.7; 137. Andrew Nelson, South Dakota, 35:48.1; 138. Chris Morris, Mo. Southern St., 35:49.3; 139. Dan Yifru, Bentley, 35:51.7; 140. Justin Gindlesperger, Shippensburg, 35:53.3.

141. Rob Perkins, Bentley, 35:57.4; 142. Nolan Richhart, Indianapolis, 36:00.9; 143. Mike Trumbull, Lock Haven, 36:04.8; 144. Dave Pressgrove, Hillsdale, 36:07.9; 145. Lou Raffetto, Bentley, 36:08.9; 146. Albert Chepyator, Kennesaw St., 36:10.3; 147. Scott Dewitt, Indianapolis, 36:14.1; 148. Brian McQueary, Truman, 36:18.3; 149. Nick Rorick, Hillsdale, 36:23.6; 150. Eric Brousseau, Southern Connecticut St., 36:26.1.

151. Terrence Lillicrapp, Shippensburg, 36:26.7; 152. Chris Gabriel, Adams St., 36:28.1; 153. Chad Lloyd, Lock Haven, 36:30.4; 154. Wesley Yeldell, St. Augustine's, 36:35.8; 155. Dave O'Grady, Bentley, 36:37.0; 156. Josh Godfrey, Barton, 36:40.0; 157. Jesse Howes, Catawba, 36:42.4; 158. David Scharff, Harding, 36:45.0; 159. Gregory Phillips, Humboldt St., 36:46.0; 160. Leif Kennedy, Central Mo. St., 36:49.9.

161. Dustin Knudsen, Harding, 36:52.4; 162. Timothy Skoezen, Shippensburg, 36:55.3; 163. Cory Ferguson, Indianapolis, 36:58.5; 164. Salvador Cruz, South Dakota St., 36:58.6; 165. Daniel Bobo, Lock Haven, 37:19.0; 166. Andrew Swanson, Minn. St.-Mankato, 37:23.5; 167. Joe Conley, Central Mo. St., 37:26.7; 168. Robert Lane, Barton, 37:27.8; 169. Mike Gomes, Lock Haven, 37:45.5; 170. Victor McLauren, St. Augustine's, 37:52.0.

171. Mehrdad Amini, Kennesaw St., 38:21.0; 172. David Thornton, St. Augustine's, 38:51.9; 173. Damian Simmons, St. Augustine's, 39:19.9; 174. Garrye Chavis, St. Augustine's, 39:53.2; 175. Nick Blackburn, Truman, 40:01.7; 176. Nathan Twomey, Barton, 40:08.6; 177. David Watkins, Kennesaw St., 41:05.0; 178. David Owens, Mo. Southern St., 41:18.9; 179. Brian Fowler, Barton, 41:33.7; 180. Stephen Dees, Barton, 43:15.8.

181. Wade Finch, Barton, 51:40.0; Francis Kimeli, Abilene Christian, did not finish; Timothy Cummings, St. Augustine's, did not finish; Jari Venalainen, Kennesaw St., did not finish.