Nov. 19, 2007
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Junior Patrick Smyth (Salt Lake City, UT/Judge Memorial) led the Notre Dame men’s cross country team by taking 15th place in a field of the top 250 collegiate distance runners at the 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championship. Smyth’s finish earned him his second cross country All-America accolade and third All-American accolade of his career with the Irish (one in track and field). Smyth finished with a time of 30:05.4 on the 10K course.
The Notre Dame team finished 21st of 30 teams with 467 points in the 15th team showing at the NCAA championship competition in 18 years. This was head coach Joe Piane’s 18th time leading a team to the national cross country meet and 20th time bringing at least one athlete to the competition.
Senior Jake Watson (Stillwater, MN/Stillwater Area) was the second Irish runner to cross the finish line, claiming the 76th spot with a time of 30:58.5, with sophomore Jake Walker finishing behind in the 134th spot with a time of 31:24.7.
A year ago at the NCAA championship meet the Irish men finished 19th with 495 points. Patrick Smyth was the number one runner for Notre Dame, taking 36th place with a time of 31:41.7, earning the then-sophomore his first All-America accolade. The last time Notre Dame took the National Championship team title was in 1957.
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NCAA Cross Country Championships • Nov. 19, 2007 • Terre Haute, Ind. • Wabash Valley Championship Course
MEN’S 10,000-METER RACE
Team Results (Top five of 30 plus Notre Dame):1. Oregon (85); 2. Iona (113); 3. Oklahoma State (180); 4. Northern Arizona (190); 5. Wisconsin (239); 21. Notre Dame (467)
Individual Results (Top five of 250 plus Notre Dame): 1. Josh McDougal (Liberty) 29:22.4; 2. Galen Rupp (Oregon) 29:23.4; 3. Lopez Lomong (Northern Arizona) 29:45.5; 4. Robert Curtis (Villanova) 29:46.3; 5. Brent Vaughn (Colorado) 29:47.4; 15. Patrick Smyth (Notre Dame) 30:05.4; 76. Jake Watson (Notre Dame) 30:58.5; 134. Jake Walker (Notre Dame) 31:24.7; 168. Mike Popejoy (Notre Dame) 31:40.5; 184. Dan Curran (Notre Dame) 31:49.2; 210. Brett Adams (Notre Dame) 32:21.9; 223. Dan Jackson (Notre Dame) 32.39.6