2007 Nebraska
Cross Country
Celebrating 25 Seasons for Head Coach Jay Dirksen
Nebraska Media Relations • One Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE 68588 • 402-472-2263 • (fax) 402-472-2005
Cross Country SID: Brandon Gries • email: bgries@huskers.com
This Week
2007 Nebraska Schedule
Aug. 31 Creighton/UNO Classic
(Omaha, Neb.) W-1st (22)/M-2nd (40)
Sept. 15 Woody Greeno/Nebraska Invitational
(Pioneer’s Park) W-1st (23)/M-1st (25)
Sept. 29 Roy Griak Invitational
(St. Paul, Minn.) W-5th (163)/M-15th (420)
Oct. 13 Chile Pepper Festival
(Fayetteville, Ark.) W-NTS/M-NTS
Oct. 13 NCAA Pre-Nationals
(Terre Haute, Ind.) W-13th (360)/M-33rd (855)
Oct. 26 Big 12 Championships
(Lubbock, Texas) 10 a.m./11 a.m.
Nov. 10 NCAA Midwest Regional
(Peoria, Ill.) 11 a.m./12:15 p.m.
Nov. 19 NCAA Championships
(Terre Haute, Ind.) Noon/1:15 p.m.
2007 Nebraska Roster
Women
Channing Anseth
Rachel Carrizales
Lara Crofford
Joslyn Dalton
Ari Goldstein*
Katie Kelly
Elizabeth Marsh
Betsy Miller
Jennifer Pancoast
Sara Prince
Jennifer Webers
Natalja Zarcenko
Sr.
Jr.
Fr.
Sr.
Jr.
Fr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Fr.
Jr.
Men
David Adams
Fr.
Matt Conahan
Fr.
Kyle Custer
Jr.
Brad Doering
Fr.
Peter Falcon
Fr.
Todd Gulizia
Fr.
James Laville
RFr.
Andrew Lind
Sr.
Ethan Luebbe
So.
Alec Maduza*
Sr.
Anthony Oberle
Fr.
Brian Parr
Jr.
Vince Sickler
Sr.
Bryce Somer
So.
Eric Thies
Fr.
Mikel Thomas
Fr.
Peter van der Westhuizen*Sr.
* Team Captain
Lincoln, Neb.
Morrill, Neb.
Newville, Pa.
Fremont, Neb.
Soldotna, Alaska
Omaha, Neb.
Wichita, Kan.
Lodgepole, Neb.
Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Omaha, Neb.
Conifer, Colo.
Valmiera, Latvia
York, Neb.
Omaha, Neb.
Cambridge, Neb.
Yuba City, Calif.
Bellevue, Neb.
Omaha, Neb.
Carmichael, Calif.
Lake Oswego, Ore.
Waco, Neb.
Shorewood, Wisc.
Sioux City, Iowa
Fremont, Neb.
Kearney, Neb.
Yankton, S.D.
Arlington, Minn.
Clovis, Calif.
Kempton Park, South Africa
Husker Cross Country
(Oct. 22-26)
Meet: 2007 Big 12 Championships
Date: Friday, Oct. 26
Time: Men’s 8K-10 a.m.; Women’s 6K-11 a.m.
Site: Lubbock, Texas (The Rawls Golf Course)
Last Big 12 Championships: Women-3rd (110); Men-11th (320)
Internet: Check Huskers.com for results and a full recap. Texas Tech’s official website,
www.texastech.com, will also have results.
Next Meet: 2007 NCAA Midwest Region (Nov. 10 in Peoria, Ill.)
Huskers Trek to Lubbock for 2007 Big 12 Championships
Nebraska turns its focus toward one of its most important goals of the season as the
Huskers travel to Lubbock, Texas for the 2007 Big 12 Championships this Friday.
Under the direction of 25th year head coach Jay Dirksen, Nebraska has a chance for one of
its best conference meets in recent years. The women are coming off a third-place finish
at the 2006 meet in Lawrence, Kan., while the men are running for its best placing since
2002, when it finished seventh.
Action from The Rawls Golf Course begins at 10 a.m. with the men’s 8K, followed by the women’s 6K at 11
a.m. The top 15 finishers in each race are named to the all-conference team in addition to a men’s and women’s
team champion.
The Nebraska women’s lineup is one of the best in Dirksen’s career, as it enters the Big 12 Championships
ranked as the 30th team in the nation in the latest USTFCCA poll. The women are coming off a 13th-place finish
at the NCAA Pre-Nationals in Terre Haute, Ind., Oct. 13. The squad opened the season with back-to-back team
titles at the Creighton/UNO Classic and Woody Greeno/Nebraska Invitational before also finishing fifth at the Roy
Griak Invite in St. Paul, Minn. Junior captain Ari Goldstein returns to the 2007 conference meet after an All-Big
12 performance last year when she finished 13th.
The Husker men’s lineup includes two of NU’s past four highest finishers at the Big 12 Championships in
senior captains Peter van der Westhuizen and Alec Maduza. As a sophomore in 2005, van der Westhuizen led
Nebraska with a 25th-place finish, while Maduza was the Huskers’ top finisher in 2003 with a 59th-place finish.
The 2007 men won one team title this season, capturing the University division championship at the Woody
Greeno/Nebraska Invitational in September.
The 2007 conference meet marks the first time Texas Tech has hosted the Big 12 Championships. Colorado
is hoping to carry on a long line of success, as the Buffaloes have won every men’s title, while the women have
won all but one (1997) since the Big 12 was instituted in 1996. Last year’s individual champions, Colby Wissel
(Kansas) and Sally Kipyego (Texas Tech) return to the field in 2007.
After Friday’s meet, Nebraska will continue postseason competition in Peoria, Ill., Nov. 10 at the NCAA Midwest
Region meet., where the Husker women finished fourth in 2006 and the men were 13th.
Nebraska’s Entry Lists
Big 12 Championships
Women Men
Rachel Carrizales Matt Conahan
Lara Crofford
Kyle Custer
Joslyn Dalton
Peter Falcon
Ari Goldstein
Todd Gulizia
Elizabeth Marsh Vince Sickler
Jennifer Pancoast Bryce Somer
Jen Webers
Eric Thies
Natalja Zarcenko Mike Thomas
Peter van der Westhuizen
35 Top-Five Regional Finishes ● 14 All-Americans ● 43 NCAA Championship Appearances
Nebraska Cross Country Weekly Release ● Page 2 ● Oct. 22-26
Nebraska Cross Country
Quick Facts
General Information
Location....................................Lincoln, Neb. 68588
Population................................................... 235,594
Founded........................................................... 1869
Enrollment.................................................... 22,000
Nickname............................... Cornhuskers, Huskers
Colors............................................. Scarlet & Cream
Conference.....................................................Big 12
Affiliation......................................... NCAA Division I
Facility...............................................Pioneer’s Park
University Chancellor........... Harvey S. Perlman, J.D.
Athletic Director............................... Steve Pederson
Sr. Women’s Administrator...............Rhonda Revelle
Coaching Staff
Head Coach......................Jay Dirksen (25th Season)
..................................... (South Dakota State, 1968)
Dirksen’s Phone............................... (402) 472-1136
Dirksen’s E-mail................... jdirksen@huskers.com
Husker Cross Country
Information
2006 Women’s Big 12/Region Finish............ 3rd/4th
2006 Women’s NCAA Finish............................... DNC
Women’s Letterwinners Returning/Lost...............7/1
2006 Men’s Big 12/Region Finish............. 11th/13th
2006 Men’s NCAA Finish.................................... DNC
Men’s Letterwinners Returning/Lost....................3/0
Media Relations
Cross Country Media Relations Dir.....Brandon Gries
Brandon’s Office Phone.............................472-0694
Brandon’s Cell Phone...................... (308) 289-2286
Brandon’s E-mail....................bgries@huskers.com
Media Relations Office..............................472-2263
Media Relations Fax..................................472-2005
Shipping Address................. One Memorial Stadium
.......................................... Lincoln, NE 68588-0123
Website................................................ Huskers.com
Phone Directory
(Area Code 402)
Cross Country Office..................................472-6461
Cross Country Office Fax...........................472-9361
Team History
All-Time Conference Titles............. Women-5, Men-1
Last Conference Title......... Women-1993, Men-1940
All-Time Regional Titles................. Women-5, Men-1
Last Regional Title............ Women-2003, Men-1988
All-Time NCAA Championship Appearances
................................................. Women-22, Men-20
Last NCAA Championship Appearance.....................
......................................... Women-2005, Men-2003
All-Americans....Women-5 (8 Awards), Men-9 (12 Awards)
Hotel Information
The Huskers will be staying at the Embassy Suites in
Lubbock, Texas
Address: 5215 South Loop 289
Lubbock, Texas 79424
Phone: (806) 771-7000
History: Nebraska at the Big 12 Championships
The Husker women own five top-five finishes at the Big 12 Championships, including last year’s third-place
finish in Lawrence, Kan., the highest since 1997. Channing Anseth and Ari Goldstein were All-Big 12 selections
as they finished 12th and 13th. Nebraska’s highest finish at the Big 12 Championships was second in 1997 when
Amy Wiseman placed sixth. As members of the Big Eight Conference, the Huskers won five conference titles in an
11-year span from 1985 to 1995.
The men’s best finish in Big 12 Championship history is also second, after Johah Kiptarus led the Huskers by
winning the individual Big 12 title in the conference’s 1996 inaugural meet. Nebraska’s best meet in the past five
years came in 2002 when the Huskers finished seventh. The Nebraska men have three All-Big 12 runners (James
Bowler, 2001; Cleophas Boor, 1997; Jonah Kiptarus, 1st) in school history. During Big Eight Conference history, the
Huskers had 11 top-three finishes from 1957 to 1995. Nebraska was crowned Big Six champions in 1940.
Huskers Remain in National Rankings
The Nebraska women held its stop in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
(USTFCCA) Division I cross country poll (Oct. 23), as it is ranked No. 30 with 14 points.
The ranking marks the third-straight week the Huskers have been in the poll, since it was No. 29 the week of
Oct. 9 and No. 30 last week. This year is the first time the Husker women have been ranked since 2003, when it
won the NCAA Midwest Regional behind Ann Gaffigan’s second-place finish before placing 30th as a team at the
NCAA Championships.
Colorado has dropped to No. 15 in the poll, while Texas Tech has jumped to No. 14.
Goldstein, Crofford Provide Force Behind NU Women
Freshman Lara Crofford and junior captain Ari Goldstein have provided a dynamic 1-2 force for the 2007
Husker women. Crofford has led Nebraska in all four meets, including a first-place finish at the season-opening
Creighton/UNO Classic. The Big Spring, Pa., native was then runner-up at the Woody Greeno/Nebraska Invitational
and had top-20 finishes at the Roy Griak Invite and NCAA Pre-Nationals, when she placed 18th and was the
second-highest freshman finisher in the meet.
Goldstein, a 2006 All-Big 12 selection, has continued to progress as a leader for the Huskers, opening her
season with a third-place showing at the Woody Greeno/Nebraska Invitational. She was three spots behind
Crofford at the Roy Griak to finish 23rd and was 82nd overall at NCAA Pre-Nationals.
South African van der Westhuizen Aims for Breakout Big 12 Meet
Although senior Peter van der Westhuizen has been one of the most talented NU men’s runners in recent
history, he has been slowed by compartment syndrome the past two years. The injury forced van der Westhuizen
out of the 2006 Big 12 Championships after finishing 25th in 2005. Now in his final year with the Huskers, van
der Westhuizen is aiming for his best conference meet this Friday. He’s led Nebraska in two-of-three meets this
season, including a fourth-place finish at the Woody Greeno/Nebraska Invitational to lead the Huskers to the
University Division team championship. He also finished 84th at the Roy Griak Invite and then 82nd at the NCAA
Pre-Nationals.
Last Year: Husker Women Finish Third at Big 12 Championships
The Nebraska women’s cross country team had one of its finest Big 12 Championship meets in school history last
year in Lawrence, Kan., as it had multiple All-Big 12 honorees for the first time and recorded its best conference
finish since 1997 by placing third. The men placed 11th with 320 points, ahead of Kansas State.
“We are ecstatic,” Head Coach Jay Dirksen said after the meet. “We couldn’t have run much better. I really wish
people could have seen our women run because it really was a fantastic performance. I think we surprised a lot of
people.”
Channing Anseth and Ari Goldstein were NU’s All-Big 12 honorees as they finished an impressive 12th (21:32.21)
and 13th (21:33.76), respectively. All-conference status requires a top-15 finish or higher. The last time Nebraska
had multiple all-conference runners was at the 1992 Big Eight Championships, when former All-Americans Fran
ten Bensel and Theresa Stelling both earned all-conference status.
Nebraska had a quartet of runners between 27th and 31st, an essential factor in the Husker women’s thirdplace finish, which tied the second-highest finish
at the Big 12 Championships in school history. The
Huskers were runner up in 1997 and third in 1996.
Natalja Zarcenko finished 27th in 22:17.51,
less than a second ahead of Kim Pancoast in 28th
(22:18.36). Jennifer Pancoast then ran one of the
best races of her young career to place 29th in
22:25.43, while Betsy Miller was 31st in 22:29.12.
Nebaska’s final scorer was Joslyn Dalton in 44th
(22:45.96). The Huskers’ seven scoring runners
in the top 44 was the second most of any team,
trailing only Oklahoma State, which finished fourth
in the team standings.
“This team just has great chemisty,”
Dirksen added. “They are a confident team, but not
too uptight. They were competitive every step of the
way and did everything great.”
The Husker women were defeated only by
Junior Ari Goldstein is aiming for another All-Big 12 No. 10 Colorado and No. 21 Texas Tech. NU notably
performance this week at the 2007 Big 12 Championships.
Nebraska Cross Country Weekly Release ● Page 3 ● Oct. 22-26
USTFCCCA Men’s Cross Country
Top 30 Poll - Oct. 23, 2007
1. Oregon (13) 2. Northern Arizona 3. UTEP 4. Iona 5. Colorado 6. Wisconsin 7. North Carolina State 8. (tie) Arkansas 8. (tie) California 10. Michigan 11. Virginia 12. Alabama 13. Notre Dame 14. Texas 15. Stanford 16. Georgetown 17. Tulsa 18. Oklahoma State 19. (tie) Louisville 19. (tie) UCLA 21. Portland 22. Minnesota 23. Providence 24. Iowa State 25. Arizona State 26. BYU 27. Cal Poly 28. William & Mary 29. Weber State 30. Florida 390
363
357
346
342
325
291
284
284
274
248
229
224
218
209
202
174
171
148
148
142
139
111
98
79
75
63
46
18
17
USTFCCCA Women’s Cross Country
Top 30 Poll - Oct. 23, 2007
1. Stanford (13) 2. Oregon 3. Florida State 4. Princeton 5. Arizona State 6. Michigan 7. Michigan State 8. Minnesota 9. Washington 10. Illinois 11. Georgetown 12. Colorado State 13. Arkansas 14. Texas Tech 15. Colorado 16. Rice 17. Brigham Young 18. Iowa 19. West Virginia 20. Northern Arizona 21. Wisconsin 22. Providence 23. North Carolina State 24. UC-Santa Barbara 25. Virginia Tech 26. Penn State 27. Florida 28. Boston College 29. Georgia 30. Nebraska 390
368
365
358
332
320
317
294
280
264
251
234
231
221
214
202
192
161
155
151
128
109
96
92
86
64
63
41
40
14
finished ahead of nationally-ranked Baylor (No. 30), which was fifth. The Bears had defeated the Huskers earlier
this season at the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark., on Oct. 15.
For the men, Brian Parr earned his fourth team-leading performance in a row, as he finished 46th overall in
25:52.00. Parr was 66th as a freshman at the 2005 Big 12 Championships before moving up 20 spots last year.
Nebraska also saw positive signs for the future in its second and third men’s finishers, as Alec Maduza and
Ethan Luebbe finished 75th (26:53.20) and 76th (26:54.20). Kyle Custer placed 78th in 27:03.60 to give the Husker
men four finishers in the top 80.
Bryce Dickmeyer came in 84th (27:13.90) and Bryce Somer was 102nd (30:56.70) to round out the scoring
Husker men. Peter van der Westhuizen, who led the Husker men with a 25th-place finish at the 2005 Big 12
Championships, was unable to finish the race due to his ongoing battle with compartment syndrome. Vince Sickler
and Mackenzie Jeffrey also did not finish due to injuries.
Review: Husker Women Finish 13th at NCAA Pre-Nationals
St. Paul, Minn. - The Nebraska cross country teams left the state of Nebraska for the first time in 2007 on Sept.
29 and turned in their best Roy Griak Invitational performance in recent history.
Led by freshman Lara Crofford’s 20th-place finish, the Husker women defeated five Big 12 teams and 10thranked Virginia on the way to their highest finish at the Griak Invite since 1999, when it also finished fifth. The men
turned in a marquee performance as well, matching its highest finish since 2002 with a 15th-place showing.
The NU women had three runners finish in the top 30 as junior captain Ari Goldstein was 23rd (22:02.5) and
senior Joslyn Dalton was 28th, easily surpassing her previous Griak career-best finish of 70th from 2004. Junior
Rachel Carrizales saw the biggest improvement on Saturday, placing 51st after finishing 250th at the 2006 Roy
Griak Invite. The women were competing without 2006 All-Big 12 performer Channing Anseth, who was held out of
the meet due to a foot injury.
The men were led by a solid performance from freshman Todd Gulizia, who finished 43rd in a season-best
8K time of 25:38. The Omaha native was one of three freshmen to set season-best times, joining Brad Doering
(26:49.2) and Eric Thies (27:28.9).
Senior Peter van der Westhuizen was the Huskers’ second finisher in 84th (26:07.9), just ahead of junior
teammate Kyle Custer, who finished 86th (26:10.9). Custer’s finish was a career best at the Roy Griak Invitational
after he placed 167th in 2006 and 196th in 2005. Senior Vince Sickler (125th) and sophomores Ethan Luebbe
(138th) and Bryce Somer (128th) also bettered their 2006 finishes from the Roy Griak.
Nine Huskers Named to Academic All-Big 12 Teams
Nine Husker cross country runners were named to the 2007 Academic All-Big 12 teams, announced Tuesday by
the league office.
Nebraska led the conference in 4.0 grade-point averages as three student-athletes achieved the perfect mark in
seniors Joslyn Dalton and Alec Maduza and sophomore Bryce Somer. Oklahoma State and Texas Tech each boasted
a pair of 4.0’s, while Iowa State and Kansas State had one.
The Huskers had five women and four men named Academic All-Big 12. First team honors require a cumulative
3.20 GPA or better, while the second team consists of those with a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
All five of Nebraska’s women’s selections
were named to the first team, marking the
fifth-straight year the Husker women have
had at least five first-team selections.
Juniors Rachel Carrizales, Ari Goldstein,
Jen Pancoast and Natalja Zarcenko joined
Dalton on the list.
The men had three first-team selections
for the second consecutive year as
junior Kyle Custer met the required 3.20
GPA in addition to Maduza and Somer.
Sophomore Ethan Luebbe gave the Huskers
representation on the second team to give
the Husker squads a total of nine runners
on either the first or second teams.
In addition to the required 3.0
GPA, student-athletes must have also
participated in at least 60 percent of his/
her team’s scheduled meets. Freshmen and
transfers are not eligible in their first year
of academic residence. A total of 112 cross
country runners from the conference were
named to the Academic All-Big 12 teams.
The Husker cross country teams have
deep roots in academic success as the
two squads have earned 13-of-26 Herman
Awards, which are given annually to
Nebraska’s team with the highest gradepoint average.
Senior Peter van der Westhuizen takes the Husker men into the 2007
Big 12 Championships.
Nebraska Cross Country Weekly Release ● Page 4 ● Oct. 22-26
2007 Women’s Season Statistics
Creighton/
UNO (5K)
Woody
Greeno (6K)
Roy Griak
(6K)
Chile Pepper
Festival (6K)
NCAA PreBig 12
Nationals (6K) Champ.
(6K)
Channing Anseth
DNR
7th, 22:01.05
DNR
DNR
DNR
Rachel Carrizales
3rd, 19:09
9th, 22:20.65
51th, 22:37.8
(at Pre-Nat’s)
102nd, 21:45
Lara Crofford
1st, 18:34
2nd, 21:29.30
20th, 21:58.2
(at Pre-Nat’s)
18th, 20:46
Joslyn Dalton
DNR
6th, 21:49.90
28th, 22:06.2
(at Pre-Nat’s)
95th, 21:39
Ari Goldstein
DNR
3rd, 21:30.10
23rd, 22:02.5
(at Pre-Nat’s)
82nd, 21:31
Katie Kelly
DNR
DNR
DNR
DNR
DNR
Elizabeth Marsh
12th, 21:14
DNR
217th, 25:47.2
221st, 25:06
DNR
Betsy Miller
Redshirt
Redshirt
Redshirt
Redshirt
Redshirt
Jennifer Pancoast
10th, 20:52
10th, 22:26.40 67th, 22:51.2
(at Pre-Nat’s)
130th, 22:05
Sara Prince
16th, 21:35
DNR
DNR
DNR
Jennifer Webers
6th, 20:18
24th, 23:13.45 114th, 24:09.5
(at Pre-Nat’s)
159th, 22:23
Natalja Zarcenko
DNR
DNR
(at Pre-Nat’s)
63rd, 21:22
DNR
42nd, 22:27.8
NCAA
Regionals
(6K)
NCAA
Champ.
(6K)
NCAA
Regionals
(10K)
NCAA
Champ.
(10K)
2007 Men’s Season Statistics
Creighton/
UNO (8K)
Woody
Greeno (8K)
Roy Griak
(8K)
Chile Pepper
Festival (10K)
NCAA PreBig 12
Nationals (8K) Champ.
(8K)
David Adams
DNR
DNR
DNR
DNR
DNR
Matt Conahan
6th, 28:28
28th, 26:16.75 122nd, 26:43.3
(at Pre-Nat’s)
229th, 26:16
Kyle Custer
DNR
10th, 25:32.90 86th, 26:10.9
(at Pre-Nat’s)
168th, 25:11
Brad Doering
13th, 29:29
58th, 26:59.05 132nd, 26:49.2
222nd, 36:24
(at Chile Pepper)
Peter Falcon
11th, 29:10
40th, 26:33.45 115th, 26:36.9
(at Pre-Nat’s)
218th, 25:54
Todd Gulizia
2nd, 27:27
14th, 25:45.25 43rd, 25:38.0
(at Pre-Nat’s)
188th, 25:25
James Laville
DNR
126th,28:16.05 DNR
DNR
DNR
Andrew Lind
Redshirt
Redshirt
Redshirt
Redshirt
Ethan Luebbe
DNR
35th, 26:30.00 138th, 26:59.5
DNR
DNR
Alec Maduza
DNR
DNR
188th, 28:24.0
154th, 33:52
(at Chile Pepper)
Anthony Oberle
DNR
DNR
DNR
DNR
DNR
Brian Parr
DNR
DNR
DNR
DNR
DNR
Vince Sickler
DNR
31st, 26:19.50 125th, 26:45.0
(at Pre-Nat’s)
199th, 25:32
Bryce Somer
12th, 29:20
34th, 26:16.15 128th, 26:46.9
(at Pre-Nat’s)
248th, 27:00
Eric Thies
DNR
94th, 27:42.20 163rd, 27:28.9
117th, 33:10
(at Chile Pepper)
Mikel Thomas
9th, 28:33
32nd, 26:19.85 154th, 27:18.1
85th, 32:30
(at Chile Pepper)
Peter van der Westhuizen
DNR
4th, 25:05.20
(at Pre-Nat’s)
82nd, 24:25
Redshirt
84th, 26:07.9