ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Tuesday, October 1, 2002

Etown Blows Out Millersville and Franklin & Marshall, Wins Men's and Women's Battle for the Buggy Titles

LANCASTER, Pa. --- The Elizabethtown College cross country teams blew past Millersville and Franklin & Marshall to win both the men's and women's titles in the fourth annual Battle for the Buggy. The Lancaster County collegiate cross country championship was held this year at Lancaster County Central Park. The Etown men claimed their fourth Buggy title in a row, while the Blue Jay women won the annual Battle for the first time. The Etown men defeated Millersville 20-39 and F&M 15-50, and the Millersville men defeated F&M 15-50. The Etown women won over F&M 18-43 and defeated Millersville 18-41, while the Millersville women won over F&M, 23-37.

In the men's race, held on a six-kilometer course, Millersville's Mark Stallings was the top finisher in a time of 19:01. Beyond that, however, it was all Elizabethtown as the Blue Jays swept second through seventh place. Dustin Scott (Honey Brook, PA/Twin Valley) finished second in 19:15, Matt Rockwell (Plymouth, NH/Plymouth) took third in 19:19, Josh Lyman (Parkside, PA/Sun Valley) finished fourth in 19:22, and Steve Sanko (Hazleton, PA/Bishop Hafey) rounded out the top five in 19:23.

Etown's Jose Miranda (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Township) finished sixth in 19:31, and Sean Mulcahy (Towanda, PA/Towanda) took seventh place for the Blue Jays in 19:33.

By defeating Millersville, which is currently ranked 13th in the nation in NCAA Division II, the Blue Jays, which are ranked 16th in the nation in Division III as of the poll released today, made a strong case for a national Division III ranking in the top ten next week.

Elizabethtown's Melissa St. Clair (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) won the women's race in 24:22 over the six-kilometer course. Teammate Bri Lambert (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) ran 24:26 to finish second overall. In all, Etown placed six runners in the top ten, with Amanda Santore (Boothwyn, PA/Garnet Valley) finishing fifth in 25:20, Lindsey Gruenewald (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) placing sixth in 25:34, Jill Brobst (Wilmington, DE/Concord) placing seventh in 25:42, and Ashley Klees (Danville, PA/Danville) finishing tenth in 25:50.

By beating Division II Millersville for the first time since the Battle for the Buggy started in 1999, the Elizabethtown women demonstrated why they are now ranked in the top ten in the Mideast Region. The Blue Jays' current regional ranking is 9th.

Elizabethtown will not return to action again until Saturday, October 19, when the men will run at the Williams Invitational and the women will compete at the DeSales Invitational.