Nov. 1, 2008

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -

Hosting its first ACC Championships since 1999 the North Carolina cross country teams looked to get a jump start on the championship season Saturday morning at the Ranson-Hamrick Cross Country course. The women opened the day's festivities with a sixth place finish as senior Brie Felnagle and junior Lauren Holesh both placed in the top five to earn All-ACC honors. The men finished eighth in the final race of the day as senior Brock Baker led the squad with a 30th place finish. The Tar Heels will now have a week to prepare for the NCAA Southeast Regionals set to be held in Clemmons, N.C. on Nov. 15.

The trio of Florida State's Susan Kuijken, Virginia Tech's Tas Fanning and UNC's Brie Felnagle separated themselves from the rest of the pack midway through the opening race of the ACC Championships and challenged each other down the homestretch. The three were running stride for stride heading into the final turn of the race before Kuijken and Fanning slowly pulled away from Felnagle making their way to the finish line. Kuijken (20.11.0) was able to hold off Fanning's (20:11.6) late charge to claim her second straight individual title. Felnagle finished third overall for the second consecutive year with a time of 20:23.0.

Not far off the leader's pace was junior Laruen Holesh who continued her impressive 2008 run with a fifth-place finish crossing the line four seconds behind Florida State's Lesley Van Miert in a time of 20:36.0 to earn her first All-ACC honor. Finishing third for Carolina was senior Morgan Stengel who placed 29th in a time of 21:41.8 before newcomer Ashley Verplank placed 47th (22:07.6) as the fourth Tar Heel scorer. Sophomore Callan Fike closed out the scoring for Carolina as she clocked a time of 22:38.1 on the 6K course which placed her 60th overall and gave the Tar Heels a point total of 137 for the day.

Also competing for Carolina on Saturday was Kristy Longman (22:44.8, 64th), Courtlin LaReau (22:58.5, 72nd) and sophomore Becky Johnson (23:39.7, 96th). Florida State claimed the team title with only 27 points as all five scorers earned All-ACC honors. Boston College claimed second with 106 points, ahead of Wake Forest who took third with 112. The Tar Heels finished sixth overall behind the duo of Duke and Virginia who tied for fourth with 124 points.

Women's Team Scores
=================================================================================
Rank Team                      Total    1    2    3    4    5   *6   *7   *8   *9
=================================================================================
Results - Women
   1 Florida State                58   15   32    1    4    6    7    9
      Total Time:  1:44:33.60
         Average:    20:54.72
   2 Boston College              106   12   14   23   27   30   36   43
      Total Time:  1:47:25.90
         Average:    21:29.18
   3 Wake Forest                 112   11   16   22   25   38   72   74
      Total Time:  1:47:33.40
         Average:    21:30.68
   4 Duke                        124   18   19   26   28   33   39   45
      Total Time:  1:47:56.70
         Average:    21:35.34
   4 Virginia                    124   17    8   10   42   47   50   59
      Total Time:  1:47:36.80
         Average:    21:31.36
   6 North Carolina              137   29    3    5   46   54   58   64
      Total Time:  1:47:26.50
         Average:    21:29.30
   7 Virginia Tech               150   21   34    2   40   53   61   63
      Total Time:  1:47:59.40
         Average:    21:35.88
   8 Clemson                     170   13   20   41   44   52   60   67
      Total Time:  1:49:19.50
         Average:    21:51.90
   9 Maryland                    236   35   37   51   56   57   62   65
      Total Time:  1:51:30.30
         Average:    22:18.06
  10 NC State                    262   24   49   55   66   68   73
      Total Time:  1:52:47.80
         Average:    22:33.56
  11 Georgia Tech                289   31   48   69   70   71   76   78
      Total Time:  1:53:58.70
         Average:    22:47.74
  12 Miami                       392   75   77   79   80   81   82
      Total Time:  2:01:53.50
         Average:    24:22.70

The men looked to improve on a 10th place finish a year ago and did just that Saturday as they placed eighth overall with 209 points. Senior leader Brock Baker stepped up for Carolina as he turned in an 8K race of 25:29.8 to claim the top spot on the team at 30th overall. Redshirt freshman Adam Cunningham and newcomer Evan Watchempino finished back-to-back giving the Tar Heels three runners in the top 35 as Cunningham finished 34th (25:35.8) before Watchmepino claimed 35th (25:37.2). Placing fourth for Carolina was another newcomer in senior Jeremy Cramer who finished in a time of 25:59.8 as he finished 54th overall. Less than 15 seconds behind Cramer was redshirt freshman John Curtiss who claimed 61st place as he crossed the line in 26:11.1.

Also in action for Carolina in the 55th annual men's cross country championship was junior Zack Dawson (26:27.7, 70th), senior Ian Bracy (26:33.8, 73rd), junior Matthew Kiplagat (27:01.9, 82nd) and senior Jeremy Hyder (27:12.9, 84th). Virginia's Ryan Foster took the overall title in 24:27.7 after finishing third a year ago. The Cavaliers made it back-to-back titles by placing four runners in the top 10 en route to a point total of 40. NC State claimed second place with 56 points, while Virginia Tech finished in third place with 75 total points. Florida State finished in fourth with 80 points edging out Duke who finished fifth with 127 points. The men's race also saw a tie as Maryland and Boston College shared sixth place with 199 points, 10 points ahead of Carolina's total of 209.

 Men's Team Scores
=================================================================================
Rank Team                      Total    1    2    3    4    5   *6   *7   *8   *9
=================================================================================
Results - Men
   1 Virginia                     40    1    6    8    9   16   43
      Total Time:  2:03:15.00
         Average:    24:39.00
   2 NC State                     56    4    5   12   13   22   48   54
      Total Time:  2:03:53.30
         Average:    24:46.66
   3 Virginia Tech                75    3   11   15   20   26   29   41
      Total Time:  2:04:40.80
         Average:    24:56.16
   4 Florida State                80    7   14   17   18   24   27   32
      Total Time:  2:04:39.40
         Average:    24:55.88
   5 Duke                        127   10   25   28   31   33   42   44
      Total Time:  2:06:30.10
         Average:    25:18.02
   6 Maryland                    199   19   23   45   55   57   59   73
      Total Time:  2:08:17.60
         Average:    25:39.52
   6 Boston College              199    2   36   46   53   62   64   68
      Total Time:  2:08:28.20
         Average:    25:41.64
   8 North Carolina              209   30   34   35   52   58   63   66
      Total Time:  2:08:53.70
         Average:    25:46.74
   9 Clemson                     212   21   39   40   51   61   65   69
      Total Time:  2:09:05.10
         Average:    25:49.02
  10 Georgia Tech                239   37   47   49   50   56   60   67
      Total Time:  2:09:30.00
         Average:    25:54.00
  11 Wake Forest                 342   38   71   72   80   81   82   83
      Total Time:  2:17:44.70
         Average:    27:32.94
  12 Miami                       372   70   74   75   76   77   78   79
      Total Time:  2:19:38.90
         Average:    27:55.78