Hokie ClubTERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Senior Tasmin Fanning is set to represent the Virginia Tech cross country squad at the 2008 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., on Monday. The Charlottesville, Va., native looks to earn her second consecutive All-America honor in cross country.
Last season, Fanning crossed the line in 12th place at the national meet to become the Hokies’ third female NCAA Cross Country All-American, and first since Marlies Overbeeke in 2003. The Western Albemarle High alum also competed in the national meet in 2006, when the women’s squad qualified as a team for the first time in program history. Fanning finished 77th at the meet, and the Hokies placed 18th as a team.
The 2008 national meet’s 255-athlete field will feature many tough competitors, including two-time defending NCAA cross country champion Sally Kipyego of Texas Tech, and 2008 ACC cross country champion Susan Kuijken of Florida State, who just edged out Fanning at the conference meet on Nov. 1.
“It is a really tight pack of girls at the top,” Tech head coach Ben Thomas said. “There is one clear favorite, in two-time defending champion Sally Kipyego, but after that there is a tight pack of six girls vying for runner-up. Tasmin definitely wants to improve on last year’s finish and wants to make a push to be in the top-five. She has done everything in her power to do so.”
The women’s 6,000-meter race will begin 12:08 p.m., at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in the Wabash Family Sports Center. The meet will be broadcast live by CBS College Sports Network at noon. A live online feed will also be available at www.ncaa.com. Results will be posted on hokiesports.com following the meet.