Nov. 1, 2008

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -

2008 MWC Cross Country Championship Central
Women's Team Results  • Women's Overall Results 
Men's Team Results   • Men's Overall Results 

The BYU men's and New Mexico women's cross country teams captured the 2008 Mountain West Conference Cross Country Championship hosted by San Diego State University, on Saturday at Mission Bay Park.

The BYU men captured their ninth championship crown in 10 years with 36 team points, placing all five scoring runners in the top 15. The battle for second came down to a tight finish resulting in Air Force (62 points) finishing just two points ahead of New Mexico (64 points). Colorado State (114 points), Wyoming (116 points) and TCU (156 points) placed fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

Wyoming senior Mark Korir took the men's individual title, finishing the 8K race in 24:22, just three seconds faster than Festus Kigen of TCU, who finished in second place with a time of 24:25. Korir, who was the MWC Championship runner-up the last two seasons, posted the sixth-best time in Mountain West Conference Championship history and earned MWC Male Athlete of the Year honors for his performance.

Finishing in third and fourth place on the men's side was a pair of BYU seniors in Stephan Shay and Kyle Perry. Shay recorded a time of 24:26, while Perry ran at a 4:58 pace to log a time of 24:40. Rounding out the top five was New Mexico's Jacob Kirwa, who matched Perry's time of 24:40.

For the first time in the 10-year history of the Conference, the New Mexico Lobos captured the women's title with 31 points. The Lobos posted their best finish since the 2005 campaign when they finished second. Finishing behind New Mexico in second place was BYU with 33 points, while Utah (77 points), Colorado State (121 points), Wyoming (143 points), Air Force (175 points), UNLV (190 points), TCU (195 points) and San Diego State (239 points) rounded out the third through ninth places.

Winning the 6,000-meter race and earning Mountain West Female Athlete of the Year honors was BYU's Angela Wagner. The junior clocked a time of 21:24, to finish ahead of New Mexico freshman and MWC Female Freshman of the Year Lacey Oeding (21:30). Fellow Lobo Carolyn Boosey, a senior, followed closely behind to finish in third with a time of 21:34. Fourth and fifth place went to Utah junior Alyssa Abbott and BYU sophomore Anna Sperry with their times of 21:37 and 21:39, respectively.