Complete Results
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Portland entered their fifth consecutive 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships with high expectations and a No. 4 ranking after placing second at the NCAA West Regional Championships one week ago, but settled for 13th led by a 14th-place finish by sophomore Alfred Kipchumba on Monday at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind.
Kipchumba earned his second consecutive All-America honor, after finishing 18th last season. He posted the third best individual finish in school history on Monday, trailing only David Kinsella who finished fourth last year and eighth in 2007.
Portland, racing five underclassmen, still managed the sixth-best finish in school history and marks the seventh time the program has placed among the top-15. UP’s best finish came in 2001 and 2008 when the Pilots finished seventh and the Pilots have never gone more than two straight years without an NCAA appearance.
Freshmen Joash Osoro (67th, 30:36.6) and Trevor Dunbar (76th, 30:39.7) performed well in their NCAA Championships debut. Senior Tommy Betterbed (107th, 31:01.0) and sophomore Matt Frerker (213th, 32:17.1) rounded out the team score for the Pilots, while redshirt freshman Shane Geiger (33:05.6) and junior Robert Cosby (33:23) came in 235th and 542nd, respectively.
Kipchumba gives the Pilots eight All-America honors on the men’s side during head coach Rob Conner’s 20-year tenure and his second consecutive honor in cross country.
Liberty junior Samuel Chelanga won the individual title, while the Oklahoma State Cowboys won the team championship with 127 points. Rounding out the top five in the team scoring was Oregon (143) in second, followed by Alabama (173), Northern Arizona (190) and William & Mary (226).
2009 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships
LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course (Terre Haute, Ind.)
November 23, 2009
Team Scores (Top-15 Only): 1.Oklahoma State 127, 2. Oregon 143, 3. Alabama 173, 4. Northern Arizona 190, 5. William & Mary 226, 6. Colorado 315, 7. Wisconsin 321, T8. New Mexico 350, T8. Iona 350, 10. Stanford 354, 11. Villanova 359, 12. Oklahoma 386, 13. Portland 394, 14. Syracuse 405, 15. Virginia 408
UP Individuals: 14. Alfred Kipchumba (29:48.3), 67. Joash Osoro (30:36.6), 76. Trevor Dunbar (30:39.7), 107. Tommy Betterbed (31:01.0), 213. Matt Frerker (32:17.1), 235. Shane Geiger (33:05.6)
All-Time NCAA Appearances (11 appearances)
Year NCAA Finish
1993 12th
1996 10th
1998 28th
1999 26th
2001 7th
2003 27th
2005 9th
2006 18th
2007 14th
2008 7th
2009 13th