Courtesy of MAC Sport Informartion Departments
2019 NCAA Championship Central
Men's Results |
Women's Results
Marc Migliozzi, Akron
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - University of Akron senior Marc Migliozzi (Pittsburgh, Pa.) capped his record-breaking Zips' cross country career running the 10K course at the NCAA Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 23 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in a time of 31:59.7.
Migliozzi, who became the first Akron runner to qualify and compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in program history, made a strong push over the final 5K to place 103rd out of 249 overall finishers.
"Today was my last cross country race ever, so it was very bittersweet for me," said Migliozzi. "Personally, I would've like to finish a little higher, but I am still happy with finishing in the top 40 percent at this meet, and I'm very pleased with the season I was able to put together. As this season progressed, I found myself constantly re-accessing and challenging my initial goals I set for myself. This meet gave me important experience for future competition, and so I'm very excited to step on the track in January. Thank you to my family, friends, coaches and trainers for helping me get this far."
"Marc was very competitive today," Akron head men's cross country coach Lee LaBadie commented. "To finish just outside the top 100 (103rd) your first time in this race is a major accomplishment. The way he competed made me very proud to be his coach. In the middle of the race (5K mark) he started catching people and continued this drive all the way to the finish. I am happy and extremely proud of his performance at the NCAA Nationals."
The weather proved to be a key factor in the race as wet and rainy conditions challenged the leaders to take the race out at a fast pace for the elements as soon as the starting gun went off.
Migliozzi ran a time of 9:11.8 through 3,000 meters to sit in 133rd, before falling back to 15:52.8 (161st) after 5,000 meters. He then moved up 25 places to 136th through 8,000 meters with a time of 25:40.3, before closing the final 2K climbing another 33 spots to finish the race with a time of 31:59.7.
Natalie Cizmas, Eastern Michigan
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's cross country team wrapped up the 2019 season at the NCAA Championships Saturday, Nov. 23, as graduate student Natalie Cizmas (Clinton Twp., Mich.-Chippewa Valley) represented the Eagles at the national meet for a program-record fourth consecutive season.
"Natalie had a solid race," said head coach Sue Parks. "It wasn't quite what we wanted but she battled hard the whole way. She got out further back than we hoped and it was just too difficult to move up in the mud."
Cizmas, who earned an individual bid to the NCAA Championships on the strength of a top-10 finish at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, Nov. 15, ended the national meet in 88th place with a time of 21:11.8. This marks the 12th time in program history, and sixth time in the last seven years, that EMU had at least one runner compete at the title race.
"She's had an amazing career at Eastern and I'm super proud of all of her accomplishments," added Parks. "She's earned everything through hard work and determination. She's been the ultimate team player and an amazing representative for Eastern Michigan. I'm sad to see her leave but excited to see what the future holds for her."
Cizmas concludes the 2019 campaign as the individual Mid-American Conference runner-up, and gained selection to the All-MAC First Team and the NCAA Great Lakes All-Region Team for the second-straight year. In addition to four straight MAC championships with the Green and White, Cizmas brought home the 2018 MAC individual crown, along with a total of three First-Team All-MAC honors and one Second-Team All-MAC award.
With the cross country season in the rear-view mirror, Eastern will start the indoor track and field slate at the GVSU Big Meet, Friday, Dec. 6, in Allendale, Mich.
Ashley Tutt, Northern Illinois
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Junior Ashley Tutt (Channahon, Ill./Minooka) of the Northern Illinois University women's cross country team became the highest-finishing Huskie ever at the NCAA Cross Country Championships as she finished 50th on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course on Saturday morning (Nov. 23). Tutt crossed the line in a time of 20:57.5 to conclude her historic season.
Just the second runner to ever represent NIU at the NCAA Championships, Tutt's 50th place finish bettered Hope Schmelzle's 103rd at the 2016 NCAA Championships, adding to a remarkable season that had already seen Tutt become the first Huskie to win a Mid-American Conference cross country title.
Running in cool conditions with light rain, Tutt made a surge up 11 places over the final two kilometers to finish inside the top-50 in the 254-runner field. The Huskie junior was the top-finisher from the MAC, ahead of Eastern Michigan's Natalie Cizmas who finished 88th (21:11.8).
Weini Kelati of New Mexico won the NCAA Individual Women's Championship with a time of 19:47.5, Arkansas claimed the team title with a score of 96, just six points ahead of second-place BYU.
The Huskies will now look forward to opening the indoor track and field season on Saturday, December 7, at the Fred Wilt Open in West Lafayette, Ind.
