Cross Country DIVISION I MEN’S Highlights Wisconsin rolls to fi fth championship: Mohammed Ahmed had the green light, and it left competitors seeing nothing but red. Ahmed left the Badgers’ usual pack-racing plan -- as well as most of the fi eld -- in his dust and led Wisconsin to its fi fth national champion- ship November 21 at the 2011 NCAA championship meet in Terre Haute, Ind. Behind the junior’s fi fth-place fi nish, the Badgers tallied 97 points to claim their fi rst NCAA crown since 2005. Seniors Elliot Krause (17th place) and Ryan Collins (23rd) and junior Reed Connor (36th) joined Ahmed as All-Americans, while junior Maverick Darling crossed the line 46th in the 10-kilometer race. Wisconsin’s victory ended a two-year reign by Oklahoma St., which fi nished second with 139 points. “We’re national champions, you can’t be anything but happy,” Wisconsin head coach Mick Byrne said. “We had that target on our back all along being ranked No. 1 and we knew it was going to come down to a real tough battle, and that’s how it played out.” The Badgers had embraced a team mentality throughout the season, a strategy of running as a group that had kept them undefeated in each of the four meets in which they ran at full strength. They deviated from that plan in the championship race, but the result was precisely the same. Ahmed went to the front early and was 10th as the fi eld passed the 2-kilometer mark. He moved up to fi fth as the race hit the halfway point, but Arizona freshman Lawi Lalang and Iona senior Leonard Korir had already begun to pull away by the time the fi eld came to the 5K point. Still, Ahmed -- the reigning Big Ten Conference champion -- did what was necessary for the Badgers to claim the team title, remaining fi fth as the lead pack completed 8 kilometers. “Mick kind of let me go a little bit and said go run with those front guys,” Ahmed said. “That just says that he believes in me and I just took that opportunity and went after it.” With his fi nish in 29:06.07, Ahmed earned All-America honors for the third-consecutive season, becoming the 12th Wisconsin athlete to earn at least three All-America citations. Krause was strong as the Badgers’ No. 2 fi nisher in 29:41.6 and picked up All-America laurels for the fi rst time. Collins was an All-American for the second consecutive year, fi nishing in 29:52.2 for the Badgers after fi nishing 32nd while running at Virginia last season. “It feels like I’ve been here for fi ve (years), these guys have been tremendous,” said Collins, who joined the Badgers as a transfer this fall. “This is what I came here for. From day one this is all we’ve been talking about, to win the national championship. “To have fi ve guys run well on the same day is something rare, especially at this type of championship meet. It’s just amazing.” Connor clocked in at 30:08.6 to earn his fi rst All-America award after fi nishing 95th in his NCAA debut last season. The Badgers’ lineup was rounded out by Darling’s 46th-place fi nish, Drew Shields in 112th (30:53.3) and Michael Brice in 240th place (32:27.4). For Byrne, the title marks the culmination of 23 years of work invested as a head coach, including the last four in Madison. Byrne’s third appearance on the podium in four seasons as the Badgers’ mentor is certainly the most special. “It’s no secret that I left the comfort of New York to come here, I left my family behind,” Byrne said. “This win today is for my family. It’s also for the athletes and the university, but my family fi rst.” For the athletes, writing the latest chapter in the Badgers’ storied distance running history means joining some exclusive company with Wisconsin’s championship teams from 1982, 1985, 1988 and 2005. “This is for us, but it’s also for the next generation of Badgers, as well,” Ahmed said. “It’s exciting that the Badgers of the future will be look- ing back at our names for inspiration.” Lalang was the individual champion, fi nishing in 28:44.1. He crossed the line more than 13 seconds before runner-up Chris Derrick of Stanford. 2 DIVISION I MEN—RESULTS 2011 TEAM STANDINGS 1. *Wisconsin ....................................... 97 9. Iona ................................................... 265 17. Georgetown .................................. 468 25. Tulsa .................................................. 580 2. Oklahoma St. ................................ 139 10. North Carolina St......................... 282 18. Texas A&M ...................................... 471 26. Eastern Ky. ...................................... 589 3. Colorado ......................................... 144 11. Texas ................................................. 341 19. Princeton ........................................ 474 27. Columbia ........................................ 591 4. BYU .................................................... 203 12. Florida St. ........................................ 348 20. Michigan ......................................... 511 28. Cal Poly ............................................ 680 5. Stanford........................................... 207 13. Villanova ......................................... 352 21. Washington St. ............................. 512 29. Georgia ............................................ 770 6. Oklahoma ....................................... 213 14. Northern Ariz. ............................... 374 22. Providence ..................................... 530 30. Florida .............................................. 780 7. Indiana ............................................. 257 15. Syracuse .......................................... 395 23. Ohio St. ............................................ 538 31. New Mexico................................... 885 8. Portland .......................................... 259 16. Minnesota ...................................... 441 24. Notre Dame ................................... 575 *Team Places: Mohammed Ahmed 3, Elliot Kruase 13, Ryan Collins 19, Reed Connor 27, Maverick Darling 35. 2011 INDIVIDUAL RESULTS 30:30.1; 65. Brendan Gregg, Stanford, 30:30.7; 66. St., 31:00.8; 129. Max Straneva, Syracuse, 31:01.2; 130. Ryan Sheridan, Villanova, 30:31.0; 67. Eric Jenkins, Wesley Ruttoh, Houston, 31:01.6. 1. Lawi Lalang, Arizona, 28:44.1; 2. Chris Derrick, Northeastern, 30:31.5; 68. Mark Parrish, Florida, Stanford, 28:57.5; 3. Leonard Korir, Iona, 29:02.5; 30:32.9; 69. Tecumseh Adams, Central Mich., 30:33.1; 131. Martin Kirui, Ole Miss, 31:01.8; 132. Julian Meyer, 4. Cameron Levins, Southern Utah, 29:04.8; 5. 70. Andrew Poore, Indiana, 30:33.5. Ohio St., 31:02.2; 133. Lars Erik Malde, Portland, Mohammed Ahmed, Wisconsin, 29:06.7; 6. Luke 31:02.4; 134. Bobby Aprill, Michigan, 31:02.6; 135. Keith Puskedra, Oregon, 29:09.3; 7. Diego Estrada, Northern 71. Jonathan Peterson, UC Davis, 30:34.5; 72. Dominic Capecci, Villanova, 31:03.2; 136. Ross Clarke, Butler, Ariz., 29:24.7; 8. Richard Medina, Colorado, 29:27.8; Channon, Providence, 30:34.9; 73. Kyle Dawson, 31:05.6; 137. Adam Green, Ohio St., 31:06.7; 138. Jakub 9. Henry Lelei, Texas A&M, 29:29.1; 10. Colby Lowe, Penn St., 30:36.5; 74. Mathew Mildenhall, Villanova, Zivec, Florida St., 31:07.1; 139. Sean Stam, New Mexico, Oklahoma St., 29:31.4. 30:36.9; 75. Craig Forys, Michigan, 30:37.3; 76. Joash 31:07.2; 140. Jordan Hebert, Illinois, 31:07.7. Osoro, Portland, 30:37.8; 77. Sam McEntee, Villanova, 11. German Fernandez, Oklahoma St., 29:32.9; 12. 30:38.1; 78. Jeff Thode, Iowa, 30:38.5; 79. Jono Lafler, 141. Brock Simmons, Texas, 31:08.0; 142. Matt Cleaver, Ryan Hill, North Carolina St., 29:37.1; 13. Paul Chelimo, Washington St., 30:38.6; 80. Nate Jewkes, Southern Georgia, 31:08.5; 143. Jason Weller, Iona, 31:09.2; UNC Greensboro, 29:39.1; 14. Miles Batty, BYU, 29:40.0; Utah, 30:39.0. 144. J.T. Sullivan, Stanford, 31:09.5; 145. Brian Long, 15. Andrew Colley, North Carolina St., 29:40.0; 16. Villanova, 31:09.9; 146. J.P. Malette, Notre Dame, David Forrester, Florida St., 29:40.6; 17. Elliot Krause, 81. Pieter Gagnon, Minnesota, 30:39.1; 82. Patrick 31:10.2; 147. De’ Sean Turner, Indiana, 31:10.3; 148. Wisconsin, 29:41.6; 18. Jake Riley, Stanford, 29:44.1; 19. Kimeli, A&M-Corpus Christi, 30:39.4; 83. Ben Cheruiyot, Marcus Paulson, Minnesota, 31:10.4; 149. Mathew Donn Cabral, Princeton, 29:44.4; 20. Andrew Wacker, Eastern Ky., 30:41.0; 84. Tylor Thatcher, BYU, 30:41.1; Schiffbauer, Marshall, 31:10.8; 150. Forrest Misenti, Colorado, 29:44.8. 85. Johnathan Stublaski, Oklahoma St., 30:41.3; 86. Syracuse, 31:11.2. Andy Heyes, Tulsa, 30:41.7; 87. Nabil Hamid, Kennesaw 21. Alfred Kipchumba, Portland, 29:48.4; 22. Rex St., 30:41.8; 88. Ammar Moussa, Colorado, 30:42.4; 151. Kevin Burnett, Texas A&M, 31:11.9; 152. Daniel Shields, BYU, 29:51.5; 23. Ryan Collins, Wisconsin, 89. Matt Johnsen, Lamar, 30:42.8; 90. Paulo Pinheiro, Mutai, La.-Monroe, 31:12.6; 153. Sean Keefe, Syracuse, 29:52.2; 24. Joseph Bosshard, Colorado, 29:53.7; 25. Tulsa, 30:43.4. 31:13.0; 154. Joe Rosa, Stanford, 31:13.6; 155. Matthew Eric Finan, Cincinnati, 29:54.6; 26. Callum Hawkins, Coloe, Northern Ariz., 31:14.3; 156. Tyler Udland, Butler, 29:56.4; 27. Mark Amirault, Virginia, 29:56.8; 28. 91. Tito Medrano, Syracuse, 30:44.0; 92. Jason Witt, Princeton, 31:16.3; 157. James Hodges, Texas A&M, Dan Lowry, Brown, 29:57.2; 29. Bill Kogel, Oklahoma, BYU, 30:44.9; 93. Bobby Moldovan, North Carolina St., 31:17.3; 158. William Kincaid, Portland, 31:18.1; 159. 29:57.6; 30. Will Mulherin, Virginia Tech, 29:58.1. 30:45.3; 94. Tim Freriks, Northern Ariz., 30:45.7; 95. Eric Kevin McDonnell, Saint Joseph’s, 31:18.5; 160. T.C. Harasyn, Oklahoma, 30:46.0; 96. Joseph Manilafasha, Lumbar, Georgetown, 31:18.6.