Dec. 10, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- OREGON's Galen Rupp and WASHINGTON's Kendra Schaaf were named the Pacific-10 Conference Cross Country Athletes of the Year, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.

Rupp, a senior from Portland, Ore., captured his first NCAA title when he crossed the line in 29:04 and became the fifth Oregon runner to win the individual title. Rupp, who also earned Pac-10 Athlete of the Year honors in 2006, helped the Ducks defend their Pac-10 title with a 8,000-meter home-course victory (22:55) and then captured individual honors at the NCAA West Region Championships (27:41). Rupp also was tabbed the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division I Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Year.

Schaaf, a freshman from Craven, Saskatchewan, earned Pac-10 Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year honors after capturing her first Pac-10 title with a clocking of 19:24. She's the first Husky to win the Pac-10 individual title, and the first to earn Pac-10 Athlete of the Year honors. Schaaf went on to finish 12th (20:18) at the NCAA Championships to help lead the Huskies to their first NCAA title.

OREGON freshman Luke Puskedra, from Salt Lake City, Utah, was named the Pac-10 Men's Cross Country Newcomer of the Year. He placed second (23:32) at the Pac-10 Championships, sixth (28:45) at the NCAA West Region, then placed fifth (29:28) at the NCAA Championships. His performance was key in leading the Ducks to their 16th Pac-10 title and sixth NCAA title. Puskedra is the fourth Oregon runner to earn Newcomer of the Year honors.

WASHINGTON freshman Christine Babcock, from Irvine, Calif., was named the Pac-10 Women's Cross Country Newcomer of the Year. Babcock finished third (19:53) at the Pac-10 Championships, then paced the Huskies with a third-place (20:02) showing at the NCAA West Region. She capped off the season with a seventh-place (20:02) finish, the top finish by a Husky at the NCAA Championships. She is the first Washington runner to earn Pac-10 Women's Newcomer of the Year honors.

Also announced were the Conference Coach of the Year honors. Oregon's Vin Lananna was honored as the Pac-10 Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his career, and third while at the helm of the Oregon program. Washington's Greg Metcalf picked up his first Pac-10 Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year honor.

Lananna guided Oregon to the school's sixth Men's NCAA Championship, and successfully led the Ducks to their 16th Pac-10 title. Metcalf led the Huskies to their first women's NCAA title and second Pac-10 title, their first since 1989.

The honors were decided by a vote of the Conference's cross country coaches.

MEN'S ALL-PAC-10

First Team
Galen Rupp, Sr., Oregon
Luke Puskedra, Fr., Oregon
Chris Derrick, Fr., Stanford
Garrett Heath, Sr., Stanford
Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott, Sr., Oregon
Yosef Ghebray, Sr., California
Jake Riley, Fr., Stanford

Second Team
Drew Shackleton, Sr., UCLA
Andrew Wheating, So., Oregon
Jeremy Mineau, Sr., Washington
Matthew Centrowitz, So., Oregon
Curtis Suver, Sr., Oregon
Hakon DeVries, Fr., Stanford
Mark Matusak, Sr., California

Athlete of the Year
Galen Rupp, Sr., Oregon

Newcomer of the Year
Luke Puskedra, Fr., Oregon

Coach of the Year
Vin Lananna, Oregon

WOMEN'S ALL-PAC-10

First Team
Kendra Schaaf, Fr., Washington
Marie Lawrence, So., Washington
Christine Babcock, Fr., Washington
Anita Campbell, Sr., Washington
Katie Follett, Jr., Washington
Amanda Miller, Sr., Washington
Lindsey Scherf, Sr., Oregon

Second Team
Nicole Blood, Jr., Oregon
Kari Hardt, Jr., Arizona State
Ali Kielty, Jr., Arizona State
Alex Kosinski, So., Oregon
Lauren Saylor, So., Washington
Laurynne Chetelat, Fr., Stanford
Melissa Grelli, Sr., Oregon

Athlete of the Year
Kendra Schaaf, Fr., Washington

Newcomer of the Year
Christine Babcock, Fr., Washington

Coach of the Year
Greg Metcalf, Washington

* - All-Conference teams determined by order of finish at the Pac-10 Championships.