Oct. 29, 2003

EAST LANSING, Mich. --The Michigan State men's and women's cross country teams will play host to the 2003 Big Ten Cross Country Championships on Sunday, Nov. 2, at Forest Akers East Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich. Competition will begin with the women's 6K race at 10:45 a.m. and the men's 8K race at 11:30 a.m. This will be the first time Michigan State has hosted the Big Ten Championships since 1991.

The men's and women's races will feature two athletes defending their titles from last year, including Michigan State's 2002 Big Ten Athlete of the Year, Michelle Carson, who finished with a time of 17:24.0 to win last year's individual crown. Fellow teammate Jamie Krzyminski was runner-up last year with a time of 17:34.8.

PREVIEWING THE FIELDS: In the MONDO Men's Cross Country National Rankings Poll released Oct. 21, four Big Ten teams are ranked as follows: No. 2 Wisconsin (highest in the Big Ten and Great Lakes Region), No. 6 Michigan, No.7 Ohio State and No.19 Indiana.

In the Finish/Lynx Women's Cross Country National Rankings Poll released Oct. 20, four Big Ten teams are ranked as follows: No. 6 Michigan State (highest in the Big Ten and Great Lakes Region), No. 10 Michigan, No. 18 Wisconsin and No. 19 Penn State.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY CROSS: Last season, Michigan's women's team took home the crown finishing with 70 points, barely edging the Spartans by three points in the smallest margin victory in Big Ten history. Joining Carson and Krzyminski last season for the Spartans were Sarah Pepera, who finished eighth with a time of 17:50.9, Cindy Durocher, who finished 29th with a time of 18:21.5, Natalie Stein, who finished 33rd with a time of 18:25.8, Gail Stec, who finished 46th with a time of 18:46, Marissa Ryan, who finished 60th with a time of 19:30.4 and Brittany Ballard, who finished 61st with a time of 19:12.6.

MSU WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY HISTORY: Michigan State's women's teams have placed first in the Big Ten Championships three times (2001,1981,1976), have taken home two individual crowns (Misty Allison, '91, Michelle Carson, '02) and have placed no lower than sixth place since 1994.

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Last season, Wisconsin's men's team took home the crown finishing with 25 points, while the Spartans finished in sixth place with 156 points.

The top finisher for the Spartans was Chris Toloff, who placed 17th with a time of 24:44.6. Also running for MSU were Andrew Marsh, who finished 20th with time of 24:47.4, Steve Sherer, who finished 28th with a time of 24:54.1, Jason Mueller, who finished 33rd with a time of 25:04, Warren Krueger, who finished 58th with a time of 25:04.6, Mike Thorson, who finished 61st with a time of 25:47.4, Nathan Usher, who finished 63rd with a time of 25:58.5, Brian Wilson, who finished 66th with a time of 26:13.3 and Andrew Alley, who finished 69th with a time of 26:36.9.

MSU MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY HISTORY: Michigan State's men's teams have placed first 14 times and second eight times in the Big Ten Championships since 1950, but have not won a team title since 1971. The Spartans have taken home four individual crowns (Henry Kennedy, '55, '56, Crawford Kennedy, '59, Gerald Young, '60) in their history and have placed no lower than sixth place since 1995.