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Oct. 30, 2003

NEW ORLEANS, La. - The ninth annual Conference USA Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships will be held this Saturday, Nov. 1 at the USF Golf Course in Tampa, Fla. The men's 8K race will begin at 8:30 a.m. (EST) and includes the 12 C-USA men's programs (all except Southern Miss and UAB). The 6K women's competition begins at 9:30 a.m. (EST) and will include competitors from all 14 C-USA schools.

Tulane has had strong seasons in both men's and women's cross country this year. On the women's side, freshman Bessie Hatch has won three individual titles while the Green Wave has won five of the six events it has entered. Sophomore Lisa Green has also been impressive as the second finisher for the Wave in each race this year. The Wave men have been led by junior Philip Aagaard and senior Ryan Gallagher. Aagaard led Tulane in its first four races while Gallagher came on to lead the Green Wave in the last two events.

"Our newcomers have had great first years for us, and they will be the key for us to improve on last year's finish," Van Norman. "Both the men and women have worked hard this year, but we need to turn it up a few more notches Saturday to finish where we want to."

Last year, Tulane finished 10th in the women's race and 11th in the men.

Tulane will have seven men and women competing in the league championship meet. Here are the runners with their pertinent info:

Women
- Bessie Hatch (Fr., Ojai, Calif.): Three first-place finishes this year; top 6K: 22:42.50 (One race)
- Lisa Green (So., Marietta, Ga.): Tulane's second finisher in all six meets; top 6K: 22:43.50 (Two races)
- Eva Lustigova (Sr., Liberec, Czech Republic): Scorer in every meet, won Tulane Invite; top 6K: 21:51.13 (Three races)
- Birka Wicke (Sr., Edermunde, Germany): Ran in last three meets for Wave; top 6K: 24:18.20 (One race)
- Eva Gordon (Fr., Atlanta, Ga.): Has run in every race this year, four-time scorer; top 6K: 23:53.50 (One race)
- Erin Colligan (Fr., Plymouth, Mass.): Has run in every race this year, two-time scorer; top 6K: 24:14.10 (One race)
- Mandy Hopper (Jr., Charlotte, N.C.): Has scored in all 12 of her career meets; top 6K: 23:02.90 (Two races)

Men
- Philip Aagaard (Jr., Linkoping, Sweden): Wave's finisher in four races (all top 10s); top 8K: 25:03.20 (Four races)
- Ryan Gallagher (Sr., New Orleans, La.): Top Tulane finisher in last two races; top 8K: 26:48.75 (Nine races)
- Will Landry (Jr., New Iberia, La.): Ran in four of six races this year; top 8K: 28:26.20 (Five races)
- Luke Hooper (Sr., Norman, Okla.): Missed last two races due to injury, two-time scorer; top 8K: 27:32.88 (Five races)
- Kevin Martes (Fr., South Easton, Mass.): Ran in all six races this year, five-time scorer; top 8K: 27:32.21 (Three races)
- Phillip Romero (Sr., Albuquerque, N.M.): Ran in all six races this year, four-time scorer; top 8K: 27:15.40 (Three races)
- Tyler Chapman (Fr., Flower Mound, Texas): Scorer in four of five races run in this year; top 8K: 27:17.24 (Two races)

2002 Men's Results - Last year, Charlotte came away with the team victory for the first time in league history. The 49ers placed three runners in the top 15 at the Van Hook Golf Course in Hattiesburg, Miss., and won with 53 points. Marquette placed second with 71 points while Cincinnati took third (81 pts). ANDREW SMITH of USF claimed the individual championship after covering the course in 24:36.71. MIKE OLAQUE of Houston finished seven seconds behind the winner to claim second (24:43.87) and VINCE SHERRY of Charlotte placed third, clocking in at 24:56.29 ...

2002 Women's Results - In the women's competition, Marquette won for the third consecutive year and the fifth time in league history, finishing with 29 points. In second and third place were USF and DePaul, respectively, with 48 points and 103 points. ERIN MOFFETT of DePaul claimed the individual victory after posting a time of 20:54.68. JESSIE SWAN of Marquette placed second (21:06.93) and CHRISTA BENTON of USF finished third (21:07.99).