TCU Lady Harriers Ranked in National Poll - TCU Horned Frogs Official Athletic Site

TCU Lady Harriers Ranked in National Poll
TCU Cross Country Squad 30th-Ranked Team in Country

	Derek Koonts earned Conference USA co-Coach of the Year honors in cross country

Nov. 5, 2003

Following a strong second place finish at the Conference USA Cross Country Championships, the TCU women's cross country team is one of the nation's top 30 teams in the country, according to the latest FinishLynx/NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country national poll. It is believed to be the first time in school history that the TCU women's cross country program has received a top-30 national ranking.

The Frogs have been led all season by junior Mary Kinyanjui, who earned first team all-conference honors after winning the league's individual title last weekend in Tampa, Fla. Senior Ami Butler, who has been injured for much of the fall, also was a first team all-league pick after earning runner-up honors at the conference meet. Katrina Zielinski and Calandra Stewart were third team all-conference selections after placing 11th and 15th respectively at the conference championships.

"It's good to be recognized nationally," said TCU cross country coach Derek Koonts, who earned conference co-Coach of the Year honors. "We have begun to build a tradition of strong women distance runners and that makes it easier to recruit good kids. Fort Worth is a great running community and this has been a great group to work with. They all have a common goal. Hopefully we can put it all together at the regional meet and challenge for a national berth."

The Frogs will compete at the South Central Regional meet in Waco on Saturday, November 15. The top two teams from the region earn automatic spots at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. In addition, the top three runners not on teams advancing to the NCAA meet, will qualify for nationals, which will be held in Waterloo, Iowa on Monday, November 24.

FinishLynx/NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY NATIONAL POLL

Rank Team (first place votes) Points

1. Stanford (10) 387

2. Brigham Young (3) 380

3. North Carolina 362

4. Notre Dame 345

5. North Carolina State 341

6. Colorado 311

7. Michigan 308

8. Providence 292

9. Columbia 269

10. Northern Arizona 265