PAC-10 NEWS

1350 Treat Boulevard, Suite 500 • Walnut Creek, 94597-8853 Telephone (925) 932-4411 • Fax (925) 932-4601 • http://www.pac-10.org

For Immediate Release: December 10, 2008 Contact: Dave Hirsch

OREGON MEN, WASHINGTON WOMEN SWEEP PAC-10 CROSS COUNTRY HONORS OREGON’S RUPP AND WASHINGTON’S SCHAAF NAMED ATHLETES OF THE YEAR OREGON’S PUSKEDRA AND WASHINGTON’S BABCOCK NAMED NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR OREGON’S LANANNA AND WASHINGTON’S METCALF TAKE COACH OF THE YEAR HONORS

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- OREGON’s and WASHINGTON’s Kendra Schaaf were named the Pacific-10 Conference Cross Country Athletes of the Year, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.

Rupp, a senior from Portland, Ore., captured his first NCAA title when he crossed the line in 29:04 and became the fifth Oregon runner to win the individual title. Rupp, who also earned Pac-10 Athlete of the Year honors in 2006, helped the Ducks defend their Pac-10 title with a 8,000-meter home-course victory (22:55) and then captured individual honors at the NCAA West Region Championships (27:41). Rupp also was tabbed the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches As- sociation Division I Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year.

Schaaf, a freshman from Craven, Saskatchewan, earned Pac-10 Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year honors after capturing her first Pac-10 title with a clocking of 19:24. She’s the first Husky to win the Pac-10 individual title, and the first to earn Pac-10 Athlete of the Year honors. Schaaf went on to finish 12th (20:18) at the NCAA Championships to help lead the Huskies to their first NCAA title.

OREGON freshman , from , Utah, was named the Pac-10 Men’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year. He placed second (23:32) at the Pac-10 Championships, sixth (28:45) at the NCAA West Region, then placed fifth (29:28) at the NCAA Championships. His performance was key in leading the Ducks to their 16th Pac-10 title and sixth NCAA title. Puskedra is the fourth Oregon runner to earn Newcomer of the Year honors.

WASHINGTON freshman Christine Babcock, from Irvine, Calif., was named the Pac-10 Women’s Cross Country New- comer of the Year. Babcock finished third (19:53) at the Pac-10 Championships, then paced the Huskies with a third-place (20:02) showing at the NCAA West Region. She capped off the season with a seventh-place (20:02) finish, the top finish by a Husky at the NCAA Championships. She is the first Washington runner to earn Pac-10 Women’s Newcomer of the Year honors.

Also announced were the Conference Coach of the Year honors. Oregon’s was honored as the Pac-10 Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his career, and third while at the helm of the Oregon program. Washington’s Greg Metcalf picked up his first Pac-10 Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year honor.

Lananna guided Oregon to the school’s sixth Men’s NCAA Championship, and successfully led the Ducks to their 16th Pac-10 title. Metcalf led the Huskies to their first women’s NCAA title and second Pac-10 title, their first since 1989.

The honors were decided by a vote of the Conference’s cross country coaches.

- more - 2008 Pac-10 Conference Cross Country Honors/December 10, 2008 Page 2

2008 PAC-10 CROSS COUNTRY HONORS

MEN’S ALL-PAC-10 WOMEN’S ALL-PAC-10

First Team First Team Galen Rupp, Sr., Oregon Kendra Schaaf, Fr., Washington Luke Puskedra, Fr., Oregon Marie Lawrence, So., Washington , Fr., Stanford Christine Babcock, Fr., Washington Garrett Heath, Sr., Stanford Anita Campbell, Sr., Washington Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott, Sr., Oregon Katie Follett, Jr., Washington Yosef Ghebray, Sr., California Amanda Miller, Sr., Washington Jake Riley, Fr., Stanford Lindsey Scherf, Sr., Oregon

Second Team Second Team Drew Shackleton, Sr., UCLA Nicole Blood, Jr., Oregon , So., Oregon Kari Hardt, Jr., Arizona State Jeremy Mineau, Sr., Washington Ali Kielty, Jr., Arizona State Matthew Centrowitz, So., Oregon Alex Kosinski, So., Oregon Curtis Suver, Sr., Oregon Lauren Saylor, So., Washington Hakon DeVries, Fr., Stanford Laurynne Chetelat, Fr., Stanford Mark Matusak, Sr., California Melissa Grelli, Sr., Oregon

Athlete of the Year Athlete of the Year Galen Rupp, Sr., Oregon Kendra Schaaf, Fr., Washington

Newcomer of the Year Newcomer of the Year Luke Puskedra, Fr., Oregon Christine Babcock, Fr., Washington

Coach of the Year Coach of the Year Vin Lananna, Oregon Greg Metcalf, Washington

* - All-Conference teams determined by order of finish at the Pac-10 Championships.

- more - 2008 Pac-10 Conference Cross Country Honors/December 10, 2008 Page 3

PREVIOUS PAC-10 MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY AWARD WINNERS

Year Athlete of the Year Newcomer of the Year Coach of the Year 2008 Galen Rupp, ORE Luke Puskedra, ORE Vin Lananna, ORE 2007 Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott, ORE A.J. Acosta, ORE Vin Lananna, ORE 2006 Galen Rupp, ORE Diego Mercado, ORE Vin Lananna, ORE 2005 , ARIZ Mark Matusak, CAL Peter Tegen, STAN 2004 Robert Cheseret, ARIZ Mohamed Trafeh, ARIZ Andrew Gerard, STAN 2003 , STAN Robert Cheseret, ARIZ Andrew Gerard, STAN 2002 , STAN Neil Davis, STAN Vin Lananna, STAN 2001 Donald Sage, STAN J.J. Duke, ASU Vin Lananna, STAN 2000 , STAN Donald Sage, STAN Vin Lananna, STAN 1999 Steve Fein, ORE , ORE Dave Murray, ARIZ 1998 Abdi Abdirahman, ARIZ , ORE 1997 Meb. Keflezighi, UCLA Vin Lananna, STAN 1996 Meb. Keflezighi, UCLA Vin Lananna, STAN 1995 Karl Keska, ORE Bill Dellinger, ORE 1994 Martin Keino, ARIZ Dave Murray, ARIZ 1993 Josephat Kapkory, WSU Mike Johnson, WASH 1992 Josephat Kapkory, WSU Bill Dellinger, ORE 1991 Martin Keino, ARIZ Dave Murray, ARIZ 1990 , ARIZ Bill Dellinger, ORE 1989 Marc Davis, ARIZ Bill Dellinger, ORE 1988 Brad Hudson, ORE Bill Dellinger, ORE 1987 , ARIZ Dave Murray, ARIZ 1986 Aaron Ramirez, ARIZ Dave Murray, ARIZ 1985 Marc Olesen, STAN , STAN 1984 , ARIZ Dave Murray, ARIZ 1983 Jim Hill, ORE Dave Murray, ARIZ 1982 Jim Hill, ORE Bill Dellinger, ORE 1981 Richard Tuwei, WSU , UCLA 1980 Ron Cornell, UCLA Bob Larsen, UCLA 1979 , WSU Bill Dellinger, ORE 1978 , ORE Bill Dellinger, ORE 1977 Henry Rono, WSU Bill Dellinger, ORE 1976 Henry Rono, WSU Bill Dellinger, ORE 1975 Joshua Kimeto, WSU , WSU 2008 Pac-10 Conference Cross Country Honors/December 10, 2008 Page 4

PREVIOUS PAC-10 WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY AWARD WINNERS

Year Athlete of the Year Newcomer of the Year Coach of the Year 2008 Kendra Schaaf, WASH Christine Babcock, WASH Greg Metcalf, WASH 2007 Arianna Lambie, STAN Alexandra Kosinski, ORE Peter Tegen, STAN 2006 Arianna Lambie, STAN Ali Kielty, ASU Peter Tegen, STAN 2005 Arianna Lambie, STAN Tori Tyler, WASH Peter Tegen, STAN 2004 Amy Hastings, ASU Teresa McWalters, STAN Dena Evans, STAN 2003 Sara Bei, STAN Arianna Lambie, STAN Dena Evans, STAN 2002 Alicia Craig, STAN Jessica Scalzo, ASU Vin Lananna, STAN 2001 Tara Chaplin, ARIZ Sara Bei, STAN Dave Murray, ARIZ 2000 Lisa Aguilera, ASU Victoria Chang, STAN Walt Drenth, ASU 1999 Erin Sullivan, STAN Erin Sullivan, STAN Walt Drenth, ASU 1998 Amy Skieresz, ARIZ Beth Alford-Sullivan, STAN 1997 Amy Skieresz, ARIZ Vin Lananna/Beth Alford-Sullivan, STAN 1996 Amy Skieresz, ARIZ Vin Lananna/Beth Alford-Sullivan, STAN 1995 Amy Skieresz, ARIZ Tom Heinonen, ORE 1994 Karen Hecox, UCLA Vin Lananna, STAN 1993 Karen Hecox, UCLA Vin Lananna, STAN 1992 Louise Watson, STAN Mike Johnson, WASH 1991 Lisa Karnopp, ORE Tom Heinonen, ORE 1990 Liz Wilson, ORE Tom Heinonen, ORE 1989 Jennifer Robertson, WSU Mike Johnson, WASH 1988 Penny Graves, ORE Tom Heinenon, ORE 1987 Anette Hand, ORE Tom Heinenon, ORE 1986 Penny Graves, ORE Tom Heinenon, ORE

- Pac-10 -