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 Senior Matt Fecht was an All-American after placing 30th in the NCAA Championship. |
Nov. 19, 2005
Chino, Calif. - The Wayne State University men's cross country placed seventh at the 2005 NCAA Championship 10k meet held on Saturday, November 19 at Prado Park in Chino, California.
The Warriors finished behind Western State (51), Adams State (108), Chico State (127), Grand Valley State (131), Saginaw Valley State (218) and Colorado Mines (234). WSU had 250 points to edge out Abilene Christian (253) and Harding (257). AC's Nicodemus Naimadu was the individual national champion in a time of 30:13.8, nearly a minute ahead of the next runner.
WSU senior Matt Fecht (Warren, Mich./Mott) was 30th overall (24th in team scoring) in a time of 32:40.1 to earn All-America accolades.
Junior Chris Mehay (New Baltimore, Mich./Anchor Bay) was 37th overall (28th in team scoring) with a time of 32:59.5. Mehay also earned All-America honors as the top 38 finishers (top 30 American-born received All-American status).
Also scoring for the Warriors were:
Sophomore Kevin Christensen (Battle Creek, Mich./Pennfield) was 52nd overall and 41st in team scoring (33:25.6); redshirt freshman Abdullah Saleh (Dearborn, Mich./Fordson) was 78th overall and 66th in team scoring (34:08.3); and junior Lance Jones (Saranac, Mich.) was 105th overall and 91st in team scoring (34:55.0).
Senior Justin Kessler (Ionia, Mich.) was 137th overall and 122nd in team scoring (35:45.5); and sophomore Dave Lucas (Dearborn, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central) was 145th overall and 130th in team scoring (36:05.8).
The seventh-place finish gives Wayne State three consecutive years in the top 15 nationally and marks the fourth time in the last five years WSU has finished among the nation's elite.
"When you lose your No. 1 guy (Justin Kessler who suffered from heat exhaustion and still finished 137th), come in ranked seventh nationally and finished seventh, that's pretty solid," said head coach Rick Cummins.
"The guys ran tough and everyone (all teams) had to deal with the conditions (high 80 degrees and a dusty course). It was a very good day."
