Nov. 16, 2002
NORMAL, IL – The University of Iowa Cross Country team clinched an automatic birth inthe NCAA Championships by placing first in the NCAA Midwest Regional Saturday afternoonon the campus of Illinois State University.
Freshman Matt Esche ran to a fifth-place finish in the 10K race, crossing the finish line in30:10. Esche paced the Hawkeye for the third time this season and helped the Hawkeyes earntheir first NCAA Championship birth since 1998.
Freshman Micah VanDenend turned in a solid performance in his first Midwest Regionaland senior Joe Welter set a 10,000- meter career-best (30:28) in his final Midwest Regiona l. Theduo placed 13th and 17th, respectively.Iowa’s first place finish automatically qualifies the Hawkeyes for the NCAAChampionships held Monday, November 25th in Terre Haute, IN.
