Oct. 7, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - For the second week in a row and fourth time this season, the student-athletes of the Arizona State University cross country program concluded a meet with several victories as the Sun Devils played host to the 20th ASU Invitational Friday night at Kiwanis Park in Tempe. The men won the team title as they edged rival Arizona, 53-63, while the Wildcat women took gold by outdistancing the Sun Devils, 36-71. The team crown for the men is their second on the year after winning the season-opening George Kyte Invitational (Sept. 3) in Flagstaff, Ariz.
The women again made history this week as Brooke Bennett (So., Eagar, Ariz.) won the race in 17:55 to give her two titles on the season and making her just the third woman to win multiple titles in one season. Amy Hastings (Sr., Leavenworth, Kan.) accomplished the feat in 2004 as she won the Dave Murray Invitational and the Pac-10 Championships after securing titles in 2003 in the same events Bennett has this year: the Dave Murray and ASU Invitationals. Lynn Nelson was the first Sun Devil to win multiple times in a year with her school-record four crowns in 1983. Along with Hastings' win at the Roy Griak Invitational last weekend and Jenna Wrieden's victory to open the season at the George Kyte Invitational, the Sun Devil women have tied the record for wins in a season (1983) and have five more races to break the mark.
Bennett was followed across the line by Angela Spadafino (Fr., Torrance, Calif.), the race's runner-up at 18:46; Wrieden (Jr., Glendale, Ariz.) in eighth at 19:22; Chelsea Caloia (Fr., Phoenix, Ariz.) in 34th at 21:34; and Samantha Knobbe (Fr., Phoenix, Ariz.) in 42nd at 22:07 rounded out the five athletes to score for the team while Lauren Hayes (So., Mesa, Ariz.) finished 60th at 23:32.
On the men's side, Jeremy Cramer (Jr., Boise, Idaho) led the men to victory as he finished fourth overall at 25:48. He was followed by David Gott (Fr., Marion, Iowa) in 11th at 26:28; Jack Mann (Fr., Scottsdale, Ariz.) in 12th at 26:32; David Mehlhorn (Fr., Tempe, Ariz.) in 14th at 26:33; and Griffin Lee (Sr., Shawnee, Kan.) in 22nd at 27:16 to round out the five scoring runners. Also competing for the Sun Devils Kent Henry (Fr., Pleasant Hill, Calif.) in 24th at 27:26 and Sandy Skouson (Fr., Mesa, Ariz.) in 39th at 28:44.
Several alumni also entered into the meet to compete against the current Sun Devils, although neither had enough runners to score in the team standings. The former Lisa Aguilera (now Lisa Galaviz) finished fourth in the women's race (19:08) with Priscilla Hein (12th at 19:32) also representing the former Sun Devil women. In the men's race, Dan Maher paced the alumni in 28th place (28:04) and was followed by Kris Alexander (61st at 30:49), current graduate assistant coach Jeremy Rasmussen (76th at 34:11) and J.R. Cox (77th at 35:01).
It will be double duty for the Sun Devil harriers next weekend as the team will split its ranks for a pair of meets to be held Saturday. Several of the team's top runners will head to Terre Haute, Ind., the site of the 2005 NCAA Championships on Nov. 21, for the annual NCAA Pre-National Meet. The remainder of the squad will remain in town and return to Kiwanis Park for the Canyon West Classic hosted by Mesa Community College.