Rochester, Mich. — Southern Utah continued its dominance of the Mid-Continent Conference Cross Country Championships by sweeping the 2004 Mid-Con Men’s and Women’s Cross Country titles on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Mich. The Thunderbird men won their seventh conference title in the last eight years, while the women earned their seventh consecutive crown. The 2004 Championships featured a youth movement of epic proportions, as two freshman athletes, Southern Utah’s Jess Baumgartner and Oral Roberts’ Faithy Kamangila each won their respective races. Southern Utah head coach Eric Houle earned Coach of the Year honors on the men’s and women’s sides for the second year in a row, as he placed nine athletes overall on All-Conference Teams.

Leading the men’s All-Conference First Team was Baumgartner (26:01.3), who was joined by teammates Kevin Sandall (Newcomer of the Year, 26:36.4), Shaun Vernon (26:47.8), Chad Sanada (26:55.4) and Brad Parker (27:00.5). Graham Cheever (27:23.1) was the lone Thunderbird on the Second Team. IUPUI’s Brad Wheeler (26:44.2) and Brandon Cole (27:04.6) rounded out the First Team, while teammate Ryan Hopper earned Second Team honors. The Jaguars finished in second in the team race with 56 points, which was 38 points off the pace of first-place Southern Utah (18 points).

Western Illinois (76 points) came away with third place, thanks in part to three runners making the All-Conference Second Team. Pete Christakos (27:18.3), Trevor Birkmeier (27:31.3) and Zach Somers (27:32.3) paced the Leathernecks, finishing in eighth, 13th and 14th place, respectively. Rounding out the All-Conference Second Team were Oakland’s Luke Williams (27:25.5) and Valparaiso’s Adam Plaskowsky (27:30.2).

Oakland (130 points) and Oral Roberts (142) completed the Top 5 in the team competition, followed by Valparaiso (145), UMKC (169), Chicago State (226),and Centenary (246).

On the women’s side, Kamangila, who has been breaking school and course records since her arrival in Tulsa late this summer, outran her closest competitor in the 2004 Mid-Con Cross Country Championships by more than a minute. Kamangila’s time of 21:50.6 in the 6K race earned her the Athlete of the Year honor, as well as the Newcomer of the Year award. However, Kamangila’s superb individual effort was not enough to stop Southern Utah’s streak of seven straight team championships.

Southern Utah was led by Alisha Bezanson (22:56.2), Amy Gouchnour (23:23.0) and Tawny Parks (23:46.1), all of whom were First Team All-Conference honorees. The Thunderbirds finished with 58 total points, slighting second-place Western Illinois (69 points) by 11 points. Western Illinois’ Sarah Swain (23:59.5), Karen Wartgow (24:01.0), and Chandel Ray (24:10.2) were all named to the All-Conference Second Team.

Kamangila and fellow first teamer Mable Kunihira (23:00.6) led Oral Roberts (98 points) to a fourth-place finish in the team competition, as the Golden Eagles landed 20 points off the pace of the third-place team, Valparaiso (78 points.).

Golden Eagles and Thunderbirds occupied five of the seven First Team All-Conference spots, while Christine Ensign (23:26.7) and Sara Hiller (23:42.0), both from UMKC, grabbed the final two slots.

Aside from the three Westerwind runners on the Second Team, the team featured Valparaiso’s Danielle Nunnelly (23:53.6) and IUPUI’s Lindsy Walsh (24:23.8). The host team, Oakland, harbored the final two runners on the Second Team, as Laura Fisher (24:07.2) and Kim Schultz (24:16.5) finished the race in 11th and 13th place, respectively.

UMKC finished in fifth place with 114 points, followed by Oakland (116 points), IUPUI (155), Chicago State (255) and Centenary (258).

Men
1. Southern Utah - 18
2. IUPUI - 56
3. Western Illinois - 76
4. Oakland - 130
5. Oral Roberts - 142
6. Valparaiso - 145
7. UMKC - 169
8. Chicago State - 226
9. Centenary - 246

All-Conference
First Team
Jess Baumgartner, Southern Utah
Kevin Sandall, Southern Utah
Brad Wheeler, IUPUI
Shaun Vernon, Southern Utah
Chad Sanada, Southern Utah
Brad Parker, Southern Utah
Brandon Cole, IUPUI
Second Team
Pete Christakos, Western Illinois
Ryan Hopper, IUPUI
Graham Cheever, Southern Utah
Luke Williams, Oakland
Adam Piaskowy, Valparaiso
Trevor Birkmeier, Western Illinois
Zach Somers, Western Illinois

Athlete of the Year
Jess Baumgartner, Southern Utah

Newcomer of the Year
Kevin Sandall, Southern Utah

Coach of the Year
Eric Houle, Southern Utah

Women
1. Southern Utah - 58
2. Western Illinois - 69
3. Valparaiso - 78
4. Oral Roberts - 98
5. UMKC - 114
6. Oakland - 116
7. IUPUI - 155
8. Chicago State - 255
9. Centenary - 258

All-Conference
First Team
Faithy Kamangila, Oral Roberts
Alisha Bezanson, Southern Utah
Mable Kunihira, Oral Roberts
Amy Gochnour, Southern Utah
Christine Ensign, UMKC
Sara Hiller, UMKC
Tawny Parks, Southern Utah
Second Team
Danielle Nunnelly, Valparaiso
Sarah Swain, Western Illinois
Karen Wartgow, Western Illinois
Laura Fisher, Oakland
Chandel Ray, Western Illinois
Kim Schultz, Oakland
Lindsy Walsh, IUPUI

Athlete of the Year
Faithy Kamangila, Oral Roberts

Newcomer of the Year
Faithy Kamangila, Oral Roberts