Nov. 12, 2005

The eight-ranked UTEP cross country team qualified for the NCAA Championships with a second-place finish at the NCAA Mountain Regional in Provo, Utah, while three Conference USA females also punched their tickets for nationals at the South-Central Regional in Waco, Texas on Saturday.

The Miners scored 79 points finishing as the runner up behind third-ranked Colorado (42 points). Sixth-ranked BYU was third with 86 points. It is UTEP's highest finish at the regional meet since finishing second in 1992.

Stephen Samoei was UTEP's top finisher in the 10k race, placing fourth in 30:35.4. He was followed by Japheth Ng'ojoy, who was fifth in 30:39.8.

All-American Mircea Bogdan moved up from 13th place over the final meters of the race to take ninth in 31:04.3. UTEP's top runner this season Patrick Mutai was 14th in 31:13.2, despite running with a tight back.

On the women's side, Rice finished third overall as a team in the South-Central Region, narrowly missing an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship in Terre Haute, Ind., on Nov. 21. The Owls can still earn an at-large bid when those selections are announced on Sunday.

Rice did qualify two individuals for the race as sophomore Marissa Daniels placed third overall and Kate Gorry was sixth. SMU's Rachael Forish also qualified for nationals with a seventh-place finish in the individual race.

UAB's Elizabeth Ambrus, the C-USA individual champion, placed eighth at the South Region and could earn an at-large invididual bid as well on Sunday.