Oct. 20, 2000

Cross Country Squads Set for MIAA Championships on Saturday

The Truman State University men's and women's cross country squads will be at Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg on Saturday, competing at the 2000 MIAA cross country championships. The 8,000-meter men's race begins at 10:30 a.m., while the women's race (6,000 meters) follows at 11:30 a.m. The meet will be held at CMSU's Pertle Springs Golf Course.

Both Bulldog squads will be looking to improve on their third-place finishes of last year. The men will be looking for their first conference title since 1994, while the women are hoping to claim their first.

The Truman men, ranked 12th in the Oct. 17 NCAA Division II men's rankings, return three all-conference performers from 1999, in juniors Andy Doering (Florissant, Mo./McCluer North), Ben Rosario (St. Louis, Mo./SLUH) and Matt Helbig (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit). Doering placed sixth at last year's meet, while Rosario was eighth and Helbig 10th. Each of the Bulldogs' top five runners placed in the top 21 last year, with senior Nick Blackburn (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell) 15th, followed by junior Brian McQueary (St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary's) in 21st.

Doering went on to place 26th at the NCAA Division II Championships. He has led the Bulldogs in each race this season, with the exception coming at the Miner Invitational, where he didn't compete.

Elsewhere in the latest men's cross country rankings, Missouri Southern was ninth, Central Missouri 11th, Pittsburg State (Kan.) 13th and Northwest Missouri 23rd.

The Truman women were ranked 11th in the Oct. 17 Division II poll and return the top five runners from last year. Junior Beth Luebbering (St. Thomas, Mo./Helias) and sophomore Leah Zidon (Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar) earned all-MIAA honors last season, finishing second and fifth, respectively, at the conference race. The 'Dogs placed five runners in the top 25 last season as Emily Komiskey (Galena, Ill./Dubuque Wahlert) was 17th, Jennifer Tesmer (Harrisonville, Mo.) was 21st and Brandy Leffler (Gibbs, Mo./Brashear) was 25th. Truman senior Kristi Willenberg (St. Peter's, Mo./Francis Howell-UMKC) has been the 'Dogs' top finisher in two races this season.

Also in the latest women's poll, Central Missouri was 10th and Pittsburg State (Kan.) 14th.

Following the MIAA Championships, the NCAA Division II South Central Regional is set for Nov. 4 in Commerce, Texas. The NCAA Division II Championships are scheduled for Nov. 18 in Pomona, Calif.

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