Men's 8-K Individual Results
Women's 5-K Individual Results

Note:  Men's Times Adjusted On November 3, Per Meet Officials

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.-The University of Evansville men's cross country team was able to pack its top five runners within a minute of each other on Saturday en route to posting the school's highest team finish in State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship history.

The UE men totaled 177 points to place sixth overall and knock off the likes of Northern Iowa, Creighton, and Bradley.  The sixth-place finish equals the 2004 men's team's finish as the highest in UE's 15 years of MVC competition, and the 177 points mark the second-lowest point total in UE's time in the Valley.

"The men have been practicing extremely well over the last two weeks, and it was great to see that hard work pay off today in the race," said UE head coach Don Walters.  "We started out a little slow, but the guys were able to battle back and pick it up down the stretch, and I was really pleased with how well they ran today."

Junior Greg Pulscher (Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty) anchored UE's efforts on the men's side by placing 24th overall in an 8-K time of 26:14.00.  Fellow junior Ethan Merkel (Dubois, Ind./Northeast Dubois) finished just over a half-minute later in 36th place at 26:50.31 to place second on the team, before sophomore Brian Denny (40th-27:00.88), junior Brian Joyce (42nd-27:11.24) and sophomore Ryan Witters (43rd-27:13.21) finished within 12 seconds of one another to round out UE's scoring.

On the women's side, the Purple Aces were able to place five runners within 23 seconds of one another to knock off the Creighton Bluejays and place ninth overall.  Junior Arrena Svoboda (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch) led UE's pack with a time of 20:10.53 to place 52nd overall.  Junior Courtney Heller (53rd-20:12.59), senior Franny Enzler (54th-20:18.21), sophomore Melissa Truex (56th-20:23.74) and freshman Lauren Schaftlein (59th-20:33.76) finished not far behind to round out UE's scoring pack.

"I thought that the women ran a very good race today," said Walters.  "This course was a tough course, but the women were able to keep together well as a pack, and anytime that you can place your top five runners within 23 seconds of each other like we did today, it is only going to help you as a team."

Pre-championship favorite Southern Illinois held off hard-charging Indiana State by three points to win the men's team title, behind individual champion Jeff Schirmer (24:33.51).  On the women's side, Wichita State knocked off host Missouri State by 12 points to win the overall title, while MSU Pasca Cheruiyot raced to the individual title in a 5-K time of 16:57.81.

Evansville will wrap up the 2008 cross country season in two weeks at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Team Results From The 2008 State Farm MVC Championships

MEN
1)    Southern Illinois, 37 pts.  2)  Indiana State, 40 pts.  3)  Illinois State, 50 pts.  4) Wichita State, 113 pts.  5)  Drake, 137 pts.  6) EVANSVILLE, 177 pts.  7)  Northern Iowa, 219 pts.  8)  Creighton, 227 pts.  9)  Bradley, 262 pts.

WOMEN
1)    Wichita State, 59 pts.  2)  Missouri State, 71 pts.  3)  Illinois State, 79 pts.  4)  Southern Illinois, 101 pts.  5)  Northern Iowa, 103 pts.  6)  Indiana State, 131 pts.  7)  Drake, 157 pts.  8)  Bradley, 214 pts.  9)  EVANSVILLE, 261 pts.  10)  Creighton, 287 pts.