Wildcats finish second at national meet

Western State wins second straight NCAA cross country championship

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Western State (Colo.) -- led by individual national champion Michael Aish -- won its second straight NCAA Division II national cross country title Saturday, and the ACU Wildcats finished as the runner-up for the second straight year.

Aish won the race in a time of 30:52.6, edging out teammate Joshua Eberly, who finished second at 31:34.7. ACU's best finisher was Alfred Rugema, the defending individual national champion who finished seventh in a time of 32:14.4 to earn all-America status. Saturday's race was the first of the season for Rugema, who missed most of the season with a stress fracture in his right leg.

Only one other ACU runner -- Jean-Marie Ndukimana -- earned all-America status, completing the course in 32:15.1 to finish just behind Rugema in eighth place. Junior John Kemboi, who finished second at last year's national meet and was expected to challenge Aish for the individual national championship, finished 20th at 32:38.0.

On the women's side, ACU freshman Cassie Chaffin finished 55th in a time of 23:17.6. Hannah Lawrence of Western State won the individual title to lead Western State to the women's national title.