LHU'S COWAN EARNS ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Bald Eagles Place 16th Overall At NCAA National Championship

		(far left) The Bald Eagle team scored the second-best national finish in program history after placing 16th. (left) Chris Cowan earned his first All-America certificate after leading the Bald Eagles with a 33rd-place finish.

(Lock Haven, Pa.) - The Lock Haven University men’s cross country team competed at the 2003 NCAA Division II National Championships at SAS Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, placing 16th overall. Bald Eagle junior Chris Cowan (Horseheads, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison) placed 33rd overall and earned his first All-America title and the first for a Haven runner since the 2000 season.
       “The heat really put a lot of teams not used to it in bad shape, and our guys were struggling after four miles,” said second-year head coach Aaron Russell. “They put it back together in the last two miles, however.”
       “For Cowan, it’s a big relief to finally earn All-America honors. He missed it by two spots as a freshman, then didn’t make nationals last year. I’m just really happy for him.”
       “All the guys were affected by the heat, but overall I cannot be disappointed. Freshman Ryan Blood ran a really strong race — he was our second finisher and was the third finisher from our region. We’ve had a great season and hopefully we’ll be back again next year.”
       Lock Haven placed 16th in the overall team standings with 376 points, the second-best historical finish at the national meet by the program. Cowan paced the Bald Eagles, finishing in 33rd place in a time of 32:27.2 over the 10-kilometer course. Freshman Ryan Blood (Summerdale/East Pennsboro) was the second-fastest Bald Eagle, crossing the finish in 66th place in a time of 33:29.7. Joe Wiegner (Ivyland/Council Rock) was third in 85th (34:03.9), while Aaron Benson (Mt. Jewett/Kane Area) followed right behind in 87th place (34:05.5). Sophomore Billy Buckenmeyer (Alexander, N.Y./Alexander Central) was the fifth scoring finisher after placing 105th overall (34:38.3). Racing but not scoring were Chris Robson (Lewisberry/Red Land) (133rd; 35:26.8) and Rick Clendaniel (Warminster/William Tennett) (154th; 36:36.1).
       Adams State won the team title with 40 points and also had the top individual racer in Celedino Rodriguez, who covered the course in 30:25.6.

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(Lock Haven, Pa.) - The Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania men’s cross country team claimed the 2003 NCAA Division II East Region Championship today on its own West Branch Cross Country Course, outdoing the defending champion Edinboro University for the second time in two weeks for the team title. Lock Haven was also the team champion in last weekend’s Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships. The Lady Eagle cross country team placed 13th overall in the field of 24 teams.
       Lock Haven garnered the regional crown after scoring three runners in the top 15 and placing its top five no lower than 22^nd to slip past Edinboro by just one point with 70 team points. The Haven out-ran a field of 24 teams over the 10K course for its first such title since the 1969 season.
       The Bald Eagles were paced by the performance of sophomore Chris Cowan (Horseheads, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison), who matched his 2001 finish by crossing in third place in 31:24. Sophomore Billy Buckenmeyer (Alexander, N.Y./Alexander Central) followed in 12^th place (32:32) and freshman Ryan Blood (Summerdale/East Pennsboro) was right behind in 15^th place in 32:38. Joe Wiegner (Ivyland/Council Rock) collected an 18^th-place finish in 32:41 and Aaron Benson (Mt. Jewett/Kane Area) crossed in 32:56 for a 22^nd-place finish. Pushing the lead group were Bald Eagles Chris Robson (Lewisberry/Red Land) (27th; 33:10) and Rick Clendaniel (Warminster/William Tennett) (36th; 33:31).
       In the women’s race, the Lady Eagles placed 13th in the 24-team field, accruing 361 points. Edinboro University won the women’s race, totaling just 50 points in the win.
       Senior Jana Kauffman (Strasburg/Lampeter-Strasburg) came through as the top Haven finisher, placing 26th in a time of 23:13 over the 6K course. Freshman Kat Davey (Springfield/Springfield) was Lock Haven’s second runner, coming in at 23:37 in 41st place. Freshman Leigh Miller (St. Thomas/James Buchanan) was 95th (25:34) and sophomore Jodi White (Athens/Athens Area) finished right behind in 96th place (25:35). Sarah Robertson (Mechanisburg/Mechanicsburg Area) rounded out Haven scorers in 103rd place (26:04), while Heather Thomas (Catawissa/Southern Columbia) also competed, finishing 118th (26:42) overall.
       With its regional championship, the Bald Eagle team advances to compete for the national title at the NCAA Division II National Cross Country Championships hosted by Saint Augustine’s College. The national race will be held on Saturday, November 22, at SAS Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. It will be the Lock Haven program’s fourth trip as a team to the NCAA Division II race, the best finish coming in 1999 when the Bald Eagles were 13th overall.

>>>Full Regional results can be located at http://www.lhup.edu/t&f/NCAA/division2.html 

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BALD EAGLE CROSS COUNTRY CAPTURES 
PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP;
COWAN WINS INDIVIDUAL TITLE 

		(above) 2003 PSAC Men's Cross Country Champions;  (far left) PSAC Men's Individual Champion Chris Cowan;  (left)  LHU's All-PSAC runner Kat Davey

(Bloomsburg, Pa.) - The Bald Eagle cross country team snapped an 11-year championship streak by Edinboro University and carved out its own niche in LHU history, winning the school’s first-ever Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Men’s Cross Country team championship today in Bloomsburg, Pa.  Junior Chris Cowan (Horseheads, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison) also made history, capturing the first individual men’s title since 1967 by a Lock Haven harrier in a course-record time of 25:27. In the women’s championship race, the Lady Eagle team placed 11th overall with one all-conference finisher.
       The Haven men placed their top five runners among the first 13 to finish, taking ownership of the team title with just 39 team tallies. The five all-conference runners was also a record-setting feat, bettering the old record of four top-15 finishers from the 1999 season. Cowan won the PSAC title after placing eighth one year ago, outdistancing the field by an amazing gap of 42 seconds for the victory. Junior Joe Wiegner (Ivyland/Council Rock) was the second Bald Eagle to finish, crossing sixth in 26:32. Close on his heels was freshman Ryan Blood (Summerdale/East Pennsboro) in seventh place with a time of 26:37. Sophomore Billy Buckenmeyer (Alexander, N.Y./Alexander Central) and freshman Aaron Benson (Mt. Jewett/Kane Area) were LHU’s fourth and fifth all-conference runners, Buckenmeyer placing 12th overall (26:50) and Benson finishing 13th (26:51). Also racing but not scoring for Lock Haven were Chris Robson (Lewisberry/Red Land) (30th; 27:45), Rick Clendaniel (Warminster/William Tennett) (32nd; 27:49), Paul Hallman (Langhorne/Neshaminy) (38th; 27:57) and Jeremy Kunkel (Tamaqua/Tamaqua Area) (61st; 28:34).
        The Lady Eagles wrapped up the PSAC Championship race in 11th place overall. Freshman Kat Davey (Springfield/Springfield) earned All-PSAC honors by placing 15th overall, leading the young Haven squad with a time of 24:05. Senior Jana Kauffman (Strasburg/Lampeter-Strasburg) was 23rd, crossing the line as LHU’s second runner in a time of 24:25. Freshman Leigh Miller (St. Thomas/James Buchanan) came in 81st in a time of 26:29, and was followed by sophomores Jodi White (Athens/Athens Area) (92nd; 27:17) and Sarah Robertson (Mechanisburg/Mechanicsburg Area) (93rd; 27:20). A trio of freshmen also raced, Deb Kinsey (Coatesville/Coatesville) (100th; 28:58), Heather Thomas (Catawissa/Southern Columbia) (102nd; 29:30) and Jan Quiles (Southfield, MI/James L. Mann) (106th; 33:32).
        Lock Haven University will host the NCAA Division II East Region Championships on Sat., Nov. 8.

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Highlights: Both Lock Haven teams competed in the Mansfield University Tri-Meet this afternoon, the Bald Eagles taking the team title while the Lady Eagle squad placed third overall. Haven junior Chris Cowan (Horseheads, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison) was the top individual finisher in the men’s race, helping lift LHU to the team victory in the three-mile challenge.
     Cowan was the first of a pack of four Haven runners among the top ten finishers of the race, crossing the line with a three-second win at 15:23.4. Sophomore Billy Buckenmeyer (Alexander, N.Y./Alexander Central) was LHU’s second finisher, placing third overall in 15:40.7. Aaron Benson (Mt. Jewett/Kane Area) (15:46.3) and Rick Clendaniel (Warminster/William Tennett) (16:08.2) placed sixth and tenth, respectively. Also scoring for the Bald Eagles was Chris Robson (Lewisberry/RedLand), who placed 11th overall in 16:08.8.
     Senior Jana Kauffman (Strasburg/Lampeter-Strasburg) paced the Lady Eagles, coming across the finish in tenth place with a time of 20:00 over the three-mile course. Kat Davey (Springfield/Springfield) was 13th overall, running a time of 20:36. The final three scorers for Lock Haven were Sarah Robertson (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg Area) (21:18) in 21st, Jodi White (Athens/Athens Area) (21:28) in 24th and Leigh Miller (St. Thomas/James Buchanan) (21:45) in 26th place overall.
     The Lock Haven cross country teams are at the PSAC Championships on Sat., Nov. 1, being hosted by Bloomsburg University.

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Highlights: The Bald Eagles captured the team title and the Lady Eagles placed fifth at the Yellowjacket Cross Country Invitational hosted by the University of Rochester today.
      The men placed six runners among the top ten, winning the team title by 40 points with a final combined total of 21 points. All of LHU’s top six runners ran faster than the course record time, but junior Chris Cowan (Horseheads, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison) claimed sole ownership of the new course record by shattering the previous mark by 1:21, coming in at 24:49 for the individual title. Joe Wiegner (Ivyland/Council Rock) (25:26) and Paul Hallman (Langhorne/Neshaminy) (25:29) crossed the finish in third and fourth place, respectively. Rounding out the top ten, freshman Ryan Blood (Summerdale/East Pennsboro) placed sixth overall in 25:47, sophomore Billy Buckenmeyer (Alexander, N.Y./Alexander Central) was seventh in 25:59 and Aaron Benson (Mt. Jewett/Kane Area) placed eighth in 26:03.
     The Lady Eagles were fifth in the team race with 116 points and were paced by a pair of top-ten finishers in freshman Kat Davey (Springfield/Springfield) and senior Jana Kauffman (Strasburg/Lampeter-Strasburg) . Davey was seventh overall in a time of 23:59, while Kauffman followed in ninth place in 24:22. Also scoring for the Haven were freshman Leigh Miller (St. Thomas/James Buchanan) in 32nd (25:25), Jodi White (Athens/Athens Area) in 39th (26:01) and Sarah Robertson (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg Area) in 43rd place (26:13).
     The Lock Haven cross country teams will compete at the Mansfield University Tri-Meet on Sat., Oct. 25.

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Highlights: The Bald Eagle harriers took a second-place finish and the Lady Eagles placed seventh at the Gulden Invitational hosted by Bucknell University this evening.
        The freshman duo of Ryan Blood (Summerdale/East Pennsboro) and Aaron Benson (Mt. Jewett/Kane Area) led the Bald Eagles to their runner-up team finish despite the absence of several of The Haven’s regular top-seven runners. Blood placed fourth overall, running the eight-kilometer course in 25:13. Benson was the second Bald Eagle to cross the finish, completing the race in 15th place overall in a time of 25:50. Senior Rick Clendaniel (Warminster/William Tennett) also recorded a top-25 performance, finishing 23rd in 26:06. Chris Robson (Lewisberry/Red Land) and Billy Buckenmeyer (Alexander, N.Y./Alexander Central) followed as LHU’s fourth and fifth scorers, Robson placing 33rd in 26:28 and Buckenmeyer 37th in 26:32.
        The Lady Eagles wound up seventh in the nine-team field, fronting senior Jana Kauffman (Strasburg/Lampeter-Strasburg) as their top finisher in 20th place (23:56). Jodi White (Athens/Athens Area) was 59th in 25:38, while Sarah Robertson (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg Area) placed 83rd in 27:14. Rounding out the Haven scorers were Deb Kinsey (Coatesville/Coatesville) (90th, 27:37) and Jan Quiles (Southfield, Mich./James L. Mann) (97th, 30:26).
        Up next for the Lock Haven cross country teams is the University of Rochester Invitational on Sat., Oct. 18.

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Highlights: The No.-21 ranked Bald Eagles rolled to a fourth-place finish and the Lady Eagles took 11th place at today’s LHU Invitational hosted on the West Branch Cross Country Course. The West Virginia Track Club captured the men’s team title, while West Virginia University was the women’s team champion.
        The men placed as the top Division II finisher in the race which included a total of 16 teams, topped only by West Virginia Track Club, Princeton University and Penn State University. Juniors Chris Cowan (Horseheads, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison) and Joe Wiegner (Ivyland/Council Rock) led the Haven pack, crossing the line in fourth and 11th places, respectively. Cowan covered the eight kilometer course in 24:53.17, while Wiegner followed in 25:19.65. Freshmen Ryan Blood (Summerdale/East Pennsboro) and Chris Robson (Lewisberry/Red Land) were LHU’s third and fourth runners, Blood placing 35th in 26:15.89 while Robson was right behind in 26:23.30. Rounding out the scoring was sophomore Billy Buckenmeyer (Alexander, N.Y./Alexander Central) who was 47th overall in a time of 26:33.30.
        The Lady Eagles were 11th of 15 competing teams, paced by the efforts of junior Jamie Decker (Woodward/Penns Valley) and senior Jana Kauffman (Strasburg/Lampeter-Strasburg). Decker crossed first for LHU, clocking a 23:51.17 on the six kilometer course to place 21st overall. Kauffman soon followed, placing 28th in a time of 24:09.73. Leigh Miller (St. Thomas/James Buchanan) (95th; 26:34.68), Sarah Robertson (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg Area) (101st; 26:54.51) and Jodi White (Athens/Athens Area) (106th; 27:16.59) completed the Haven’s top five scorers.
       Both Lock Haven cross country teams travel to Lewisburg, Pa., for the Bucknell Invitational on Fri., Oct. 3.

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Highlights: The Bald Eagles captured the team title at the NYU Invitational in Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, N.Y., besting a total of 29 competing teams. The Lady Eagles placed ninth overall in a field of 26 teams. Junior standout Chris Cowan (Horseheads, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison) won the individual men’s title, finishing 13 seconds in front of the rest of the field in 26:10.
      The Bald Eagles put four runners among the top ten, paced by Cowan’s first-place finish. Junior Joe Wiegner (Ivyland/Council Rock) finished fifth in 26:37, followed up by freshman Ryan Blood (Summerdale/East Pennsboro) in seventh (27:02) and sophomore Billy Buckenmeyer (Alexander, N.Y./Alexander Central) in tenth (27:02).
      In the women’s race, the Lady Eagle squad finished in ninth place among the large field. Junior Jamie Decker (Woodward/Penns Valley) again led the Crimson and White, crossing the finish in 11th place in 19:48. Jana Kauffman (Strasburg/Lampeter-Strasburg) placed 20th (20:14) while Kathleen Davey (Springfield/Springfield) followed in 21st place (20:17).
      Both Lock Haven cross country teams will host the LHU Invitational on Sat., Sept. 27 at the West Branch Cross Country Course.

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