XC: Lobos Sweep Mountain West XC Championships

Oct. 29, 2011

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The New Mexico's men's and women's cross country teams claimed the 2011 Mountain West Cross Country Championships hosted by Colorado State, on Saturday at the Collindale Golf Course.

For the third year in a row, New Mexico captured the men's title with 51 points, placing three runners in the top 15. Finishing behind the Lobos in second place was Air Force with 54 points, while Colorado State (68), Boise State (75), Wyoming (85) and TCU (190) placed third through sixth, respectively.

Battling brisk conditions in Fort Collins, New Mexico junior Ross Millington took the men's individual title, finishing the men's 8K race in a time of 24 minutes, 54.9 seconds, beating out Air Force junior Jeremy Drenckhahn, who earned runner-up honors with a mark of 25:11.2. Millington earned MW Male Athlete of the Year honors for his performance.

Finishing in third place was Colorado State senior Spenser Lynass, who covered the course in 25:11.5, followed by New Mexico sophomore Sean Stam in fourth with a time of 25:12.2. Rounding out the top five was Air Force senior James Walmsley (25:24.9).

For the fourth-straight year, New Mexico earned the women's title with a total of 30 points. Finishing behind the Lobos in second place was Colorado State with 53 points, while Boise State (88), US Air Force Academy (122), Wyoming (133), TCU (149), UNLV (179) and San Diego State (218) rounded out third through eighth places.

Winning the women's 6K race and earning Mountain West Female Athlete of the Year honors was New Mexico's Ruth Senior. The senior clocked a time of 20:47.8, finishing ahead of Colorado State senior Ellie Keyser, who posted a second-place time of 21:00.4. Senior's time ranks as the third-best 6K mark in MW Championship history.

Finishing third and fourth on the women's side were TCU junior Agnes Kemboi (21:04.5) and New Mexico senior Natalie Gray, who clocked a time of 21:05.1. Colorado State senior Nicole Peters placed fifth with a mark of 21:13.3.

Article courtesy TheMWC.com