Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Saturday, November 1
Denton, Texas
Middle Tennessee
vs
Conference USA Championship
Blue Raiders women's XC team captures C-USA Title
11/1/2014 11:16:00 AM | Track & Field/Cross Country
DENTON, Texas – Today marked the first time in program history that the women's team captured a team cross country title, winning the Conference USA Championship at Eagle Point Cross Country Course in Denton, Texas. The men's team placed third overall, while head coach Dean Hayes earned his 49th career conference title.
"The biggest thing is that this is the first time that the women were able to win the first cross country title in program history," said head coach Dean Hayes. "Associate Head Coach Keith Vroman did a great job with them, training them all year. He really has done a good job getting them prepared and ready for competition."
Hayes, who established his legacy by winning 29 titles in the Ohio Valley Conference and 19 titles in the Sun Belt, earned his first Conference USA title today. In his 50 years at Middle Tennessee, Hayes has won 49 titles.
"The team did a good job and it was a team effort, which goes back to how strong our top five is and in particular our fourth and fifth runners," said Hayes. "Hannah Maina ran a great race, she really did the job and I am proud of her. The whole team did their job today."
The women's team started off the Conference USA Championship on a brisk morning, running a 5K on the Eagle Point Course.
The Blue Raiders conquered the course by placing five runners in the top-20, including Hannah Maina who placed second overall with a career-best time of 16:50.0. Maina lost out on the individual title to Cali Roper of Rice, who claimed her first C-USA individual title with her 16:34.7 performance.
Closely behind Maina were Jackline Kiprono, Rhema Cheruiyot, Lucy Kapkiai and Gladys David. Kiprono led the group of Blue Raiders after Maina with a 9th place finish, running the course in a season-best 17:15.6.
R. Cheruiyot and Kapkiai both claimed season-best performances and placed 13th in 17:25.1 and 14th in 17:31.3, respectively. David rounded out the scoring group for MT, finishing 17th in a season-best 17:42.7.
"Our men's team is very young with three freshmen and experience is a big lesson when you get in to championships meets, which is where some of the trouble was," Hayes said.
For the men's team, the Blue Raiders came in third behind host North Texas and UTEP. North Texas captured the title with a total of 50 points with UTEP close behind at 58 points with Anthony Rotich claiming the individual title for the Miners for the third-consecutive time. Middle Tennessee finished with 67 points.
The Blue Raiders were led by Shadrack Matelong, who placed fourth with a season-best 24:18.0 time. Matelong was one of four Raiders that finished in the top 20.
"Shadrack ran a great race and he has really improved over the last year," said Hayes. "His training and dedication has really made the difference."
Amos Cheruiyot was a team-second best, finishing eighth overall with a time of 24:31.8, taking more than 10 seconds off his previous-best time.
Peter Okwera, Hillary Rono and Alden Dixon rounded out the scoring group for Middle Tennessee. Okwera finished in exactly 25:00.0 minutes for 14th, while Rono and Dixon placed 19th (25:09.6) and 22nd (25:16.0), respectively. Freshman Geoffry Cheruiyot was the final runner for MT, finishing 28th in 25:29.1.
Middle Tennessee continues competition at the NCAA East Regional Nov. 14 in Tallahassee, Florida at Apalachee Regional Park, which is hosted by Florida State. The Middle Tennessee men entered the weekend ranked third in the South Region rankings, while the women were eighth.
Women's 5K results:
2. Hannah Maina – 16:50.0
9. Jackline Kiprono – 17:15.6
13. Rhema Cheruiyot – 17:28.1
14. Lucy Kapkiai – 17:31.3
17. Gladys David – 17:42.7
23. Josephine Kiptebeny – 17:56.4
35. Julia Kitevski – 18:20.4
Women's team results:
1. Middle Tennessee - 55
2. Rice - 62
3. North Texas - 91
4. WKU - 142
5. Southern Miss - 150
6. UAB - 152
7. UTSA - 168
8. Charlotte - 183
9. Florida Atlantic -200
10. UTEP - 260
11. Marshall - 297
12. FIU - 368
13. Louisiana Tech – 384
Men's 8K results:
4. Shadrack Matelong – 24:18.0
8. Amos Cheruiyot – 24:31.8
14. Peter Okwera – 25:00.0
19. Hillary Rono – 25:09.6
22. Alden Dixon – 25:16.0
28. Geoffry Cheruiyot – 25:29.1
Men's team results:
1. North Texas - 50
2. UTEP - 58
3. Middle Tennessee - 67
4. Rice - 79
5. Western Kentucky - 153
6. Charlotte - 155
7. UTSA - 177
8. Marshall - 203
9. Louisiana Tech - 260
10. FIU - 286
11. Florida Atlantic - 306
"The biggest thing is that this is the first time that the women were able to win the first cross country title in program history," said head coach Dean Hayes. "Associate Head Coach Keith Vroman did a great job with them, training them all year. He really has done a good job getting them prepared and ready for competition."
Hayes, who established his legacy by winning 29 titles in the Ohio Valley Conference and 19 titles in the Sun Belt, earned his first Conference USA title today. In his 50 years at Middle Tennessee, Hayes has won 49 titles.
"The team did a good job and it was a team effort, which goes back to how strong our top five is and in particular our fourth and fifth runners," said Hayes. "Hannah Maina ran a great race, she really did the job and I am proud of her. The whole team did their job today."
The women's team started off the Conference USA Championship on a brisk morning, running a 5K on the Eagle Point Course.
The Blue Raiders conquered the course by placing five runners in the top-20, including Hannah Maina who placed second overall with a career-best time of 16:50.0. Maina lost out on the individual title to Cali Roper of Rice, who claimed her first C-USA individual title with her 16:34.7 performance.
Closely behind Maina were Jackline Kiprono, Rhema Cheruiyot, Lucy Kapkiai and Gladys David. Kiprono led the group of Blue Raiders after Maina with a 9th place finish, running the course in a season-best 17:15.6.
R. Cheruiyot and Kapkiai both claimed season-best performances and placed 13th in 17:25.1 and 14th in 17:31.3, respectively. David rounded out the scoring group for MT, finishing 17th in a season-best 17:42.7.
"Our men's team is very young with three freshmen and experience is a big lesson when you get in to championships meets, which is where some of the trouble was," Hayes said.
For the men's team, the Blue Raiders came in third behind host North Texas and UTEP. North Texas captured the title with a total of 50 points with UTEP close behind at 58 points with Anthony Rotich claiming the individual title for the Miners for the third-consecutive time. Middle Tennessee finished with 67 points.
The Blue Raiders were led by Shadrack Matelong, who placed fourth with a season-best 24:18.0 time. Matelong was one of four Raiders that finished in the top 20.
"Shadrack ran a great race and he has really improved over the last year," said Hayes. "His training and dedication has really made the difference."
Amos Cheruiyot was a team-second best, finishing eighth overall with a time of 24:31.8, taking more than 10 seconds off his previous-best time.
Peter Okwera, Hillary Rono and Alden Dixon rounded out the scoring group for Middle Tennessee. Okwera finished in exactly 25:00.0 minutes for 14th, while Rono and Dixon placed 19th (25:09.6) and 22nd (25:16.0), respectively. Freshman Geoffry Cheruiyot was the final runner for MT, finishing 28th in 25:29.1.
Middle Tennessee continues competition at the NCAA East Regional Nov. 14 in Tallahassee, Florida at Apalachee Regional Park, which is hosted by Florida State. The Middle Tennessee men entered the weekend ranked third in the South Region rankings, while the women were eighth.
Women's 5K results:
2. Hannah Maina – 16:50.0
9. Jackline Kiprono – 17:15.6
13. Rhema Cheruiyot – 17:28.1
14. Lucy Kapkiai – 17:31.3
17. Gladys David – 17:42.7
23. Josephine Kiptebeny – 17:56.4
35. Julia Kitevski – 18:20.4
Women's team results:
1. Middle Tennessee - 55
2. Rice - 62
3. North Texas - 91
4. WKU - 142
5. Southern Miss - 150
6. UAB - 152
7. UTSA - 168
8. Charlotte - 183
9. Florida Atlantic -200
10. UTEP - 260
11. Marshall - 297
12. FIU - 368
13. Louisiana Tech – 384
Men's 8K results:
4. Shadrack Matelong – 24:18.0
8. Amos Cheruiyot – 24:31.8
14. Peter Okwera – 25:00.0
19. Hillary Rono – 25:09.6
22. Alden Dixon – 25:16.0
28. Geoffry Cheruiyot – 25:29.1
Men's team results:
1. North Texas - 50
2. UTEP - 58
3. Middle Tennessee - 67
4. Rice - 79
5. Western Kentucky - 153
6. Charlotte - 155
7. UTSA - 177
8. Marshall - 203
9. Louisiana Tech - 260
10. FIU - 286
11. Florida Atlantic - 306
Players Mentioned
XC/Dist.
/ Track & Field/Cross CountryXC/Dist.
/ Track & Field/Cross CountryXC/Dist.
/ Track & Field/Cross CountryXC/Dist.
/ Track & Field/Cross CountryXC/Dist.
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