Cortland State University (N.Y.) captured its first men's cross country championship and Middlebury College (Vt.) notched its fifth title in the women's finale to cap the NCAA III cross country season.

RESULTS

The 2008 NCAA Division III national championships were held Saturday, Nov. 22, at Hanover College's L.S. Ayres Athletic Complex.

Cortland State, ranked No. 1 in the nation, jumped out to an early lead with four runners ahead of the pack after the first kilometer. The Red Dragons finished with three runners in the top 10 and totaled 80 points to outdistance 12-time champion North Central College (Ill.). The Cardinals finished second out of 32 squads with 115 points. Williams College (Mass.) was third with 129 points.

Junior Seth DuBois led Cortland State with a seventh-place finish in 24:38.73. Senior Seamus Nally finished 11th with a time of 24:46.67 for the Red Dragons.

Hamilton College (N.Y.) junior Peter Kosgei captured the men's individual crown with a course-record-setting time of 24:22.03. Willy Kaul, a University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh senior, was second in 24:32.67. Wartburg College (Iowa) senior Brian Chenoweth placed third in 24:34.04.

Top-ranked Middlebury posted its second NCAA cross country title in the past three years. The Panthers, which also won the title on Hanover's course in 2003, totaled 179 points to hold off Calvin College (Mich.) and Williams.

Calvin tallied 237 points to place second. Williams was third out of 31 schools with 240 points.

Senior Alexandra Krieg placed sixth in 21:14.17 to pace Middlebury. Sophomore Hannah Meier was 39th in 21:52.56 for the Panthers.

Bethel University (Minn.) junior Marie Borner earned the women's individual championship with a time of 20:43.91. Amherst College (Mass.) senior Elise Tropiano was second overall in 20:52.96. Wisconsin-Oshkosh junior Ayla Mitchell finished third 21:02.91.

The top 35 runners in each of the races earn all-American honors.

Championship Race Program Supplement (PDF)