Men's Cross Country Wins Big Ten Championship
October 30, 2005 | Men's Cross Country
The Wisconsin men's cross country team won its seventh consecutive Big Ten Championship in record-breaking fashion on Sunday in Minneapolis, while the Badger women finished sixth in their conference race. Senior Simon Bairu captured his third straight individual title as the men scored just 16 points and posted an 85-point margin of victory, both Big Ten records.
"We had a plan today, we really wanted to come out and attack the course and run really hard," UW head coach Jerry Schumacher said. "We just executed the plan really well today and the odds were just extremely favorable for us today. I 'm very proud. They've worked hard all season and there is a big three weeks ahead of us yet and that's what we're really working toward. '
The No. 2-ranked Wisconsin men swept the first four spots, led by Bairu who clocked in at 23:31.73 on the 8K course. Bairu's title marks the seventh time in the last eight seasons that a Wisconsin runner has placed first in the conference. He is the first UW runner to win the Big Ten individual title three consecutive years and joins Tim Hacker as the only three-time champs for UW.
'I wanted to finish my Big Ten career on top," Bairu said. "I was very happy for myself and the team as we begin to prepare for the next level. We talked beforehand about using this as a stepping stone for the Regionals and NCAAs. Solinsky and I wanted to push the pace and the entire team responded very well. '
Junior Chris Solinsky came in second for the second straight year, crossing the finish line at 23:56.38. Freshman Matt Withrow was third at 24:06.58, and freshman Stuart Eagon was fourth with a time of 24:07.08. Senior Antony Ford also scored for the Badgers, coming in sixth overall at 24:24.63.
Freshman Christian Wagner was sixth on the squad and seventh overall with a time of 24:26.23, and junior Tim Nelson clocked in at 24:27.28 to place eighth. Senior Ben Gregory was ninth in 24:34.03 and classmate Bobby Lockhart was 24th in 25:11.63.
In the women's race, junior Katrina Rundhaug paced Wisconsin with a time of 21:39.74, finishing 15th overall as the Badgers totaled 146 team points.
Freshman Alicia Pabich followed at 22:07.89, coming in 28th overall, and senior Linsey Smith was 33rd overall, crossing the finish line at 22:27.89.
Freshman Christina Fiduccia was fourth for the Badgers and 34th overall with a time of 22:30.04, and senior Maggie Grabow was Wisconsin's final scorer, finishing 36th at 22:32.89.
Junior `A Havahla Haynes also ran for the Badgers, posting a time of 22:42.84 for a 41st-place finish, and freshman Ashley Benson was 46th at 22:55.64.
The No. 3 Michigan squad took the team title with 42 total points, and Cassie Hunt from second-place Illinois finished first overall with a time of 21:00.54
Wisconsin's men's and women's cross country teams are next in action Saturday, Nov. 12 in Bloomington, Ind., for the NCAA Great Lakes Regional.
