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Dec. 11, 2004

NEW ORLEANS, La. - Tulane University freshman Rachel Bryan has been named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Female Cross Country Runner and Freshman of the Year in voting by the cross country sports information directors across the state.

Classmate Aubrey Phillips joined Bryan on the All-Louisiana Women's Cross Country Team while junior Philip Aagaard was selected to the All-Louisiana Men's Cross Country Team.

A native of Elk Grove, Calif., Bryan was the Green Wave's top finisher in every race this year, including four top 10 finishes. She won the 67-runner Tulane Invitational and the 78-runner Southern Miss Invitational while finishing in 10th place at the 154-runner Notre Dame Invitational 5K with a time of 18:30. Bryan finished 28th at the NCAA Regional 6K race with a collegiate best time of 21:50.

"Rachel is very deserving; this is just a stepping stone to where she wants to be," Tulane head coach Heather Van Norman said. "It is a great way to start what I think will be an awesome collegiate career for her. I am very excited for her."

Phillips was Tulane's second finisher in every race this year as a freshman, including three top-five finishes. A native of Baton Rouge, she clocked a collegiate best six-kilometer time of 22:27 at the NCAA Regionals while her best 5K was an 18:37 at the Notre Dame Invitational.

On the men's side, Aagaard was Tulane's top finisher in all five races in which he competed. The Linkoping, Sweden, product took first place in at the three-mile UNO Invitational and fifth at the Southern Miss Invitational. He posted a career-best eight-kilometer time of 26:26 at the Conference USA Championship to lead Tulane.

Last year, Tulane swept the LSWA Freshman of the Year honors as Tyler Chapman won on the men's side and Bessie Hatch earned the women's award. Hatch did not run for the Green Wave this fall as she studied abroad but she is scheduled to return to action this spring.

Joining Bryan and Phillips on the All-Louisiana women's team were Jean Cassandra and Natalie Sargent from Loyola, Katie Denton and Ruth Nanyinza from LSU and McNeese State's Ruth Waller. Loyola head coach Al Seither was named the LSWA Women's Coach of the Year.

The All-Louisiana men's team was composed of Patrick Gaven and Jimmy Wiggins from LSU, Maya Aden from Louisiana-Monroe, Stefan Malmqvist from Louisiana Tech, Asbel Ngetich from Southeastern La., Jacob Simmons from Louisiana-Lafayette, and Aagaard. Wiggins was the Runner of the Year, Simmons took Freshman of the Year honors and Louisiana-Lafayette coach Tim Lemaire was the LSWA Men's Coach of the Year.