Buffalo, N.Y. – The University of Akron women’s cross country team finished in third place, and the men recorded a sixth-place showing at the 2006 MAC Championship meet in cold and muddy conditions in Buffalo, N.Y.

Freshman Sediah Erskine (Cleveland, Ohio/Rhodes) clocked in a time of 20:47.10 in the 5K run to earn a fifth place finish. Erskine, who has been the top performer for Akron all season, recorded the best time out of any freshman runner in the race and also posted the best MAC Championship finish for a freshman in school history. She was also named as a first-team All-MAC selection at the end of race for her outstanding season. UA has now had at least one All-MAC performer every year since 1998.

Sophomore Colleen Moran (Poland, Ohio/Poland Seminary HS) turned in a solid performance for the Zips, clocking in at 21:23.05 to finish in 20^th. She was followed by freshman Heidi Gross (Mansfield, Ohio/Lexington HS), who posted a time of 21:26.50 to earn a 23^rd-place finish.

Senior Rachel Zubricky (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood HS) ended in 40^th with a time of 21:47.40 and was followed by teammate Danielle Sidell (Wakeman, Ohio/Western Reserve)  in 41^st with a mark of 21:50.85.

“If you look at the preseason predictions, we were picked to finish seventh,” women’s cross country coach Scott Jones said. “We obviously did much better than that and I proud of the way we performed. With four newcomers in our top five, three of them being freshmen, we didn’t know what to expect coming into the season, but I am please at the way we have come together as team as the season wore on.”

The Zips recorded 129 points as team. Ohio won the event with 37 points and Bowling Green followed with 113 points. Carmie Reinhart from OU won the race with a time of 20:02.90.

Junior Jason Headman (Ashtabula, Ohio/Edgewood HS) led the men’s group with a time of 27:57.10 in the 8K run to earn a fourth-place finish. Headman also joined Erskine as a first-team All-MAC selection.

Craig Rupe (Cortland, Ohio/Maplewood HS) crossed the finish line in 29:05.80, ending in 31^st place. Mike Baraona (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake) ended in 42^nd with a time of 29:39.45.

Jeff Swartzel (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Northwest HS) clocked in a time of 29:42.35 to finish 44^th, and Ricky Weisheimer (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood HS) rounded out the Zips point participants with a time of 29:45.25, finishing 46^th.

Eastern Michigan won the event with 23 points, followed by Central Michigan (64) and Kent State (72). EMU’s Corey Nowitzke won the race with a time of 26:52.60.

Akron will be back in action on Saturday, Nov. 11, in the Great Lakes Regional meet in Bowling Green, Ohio.

All-MAC teams:

Men 1st team
Corey Nowitzke (EMU)
Josh Perrin (EMU)
David Brent (EMU)
Jason Headman (Akron)
Ben Wietmarschen (KSU)
Jeff Powers (CMU)
Josh Karanja (EMU)

Men 2nd team
Matt Loiselle (CMU)
Ryan Spellman (KSU)
Neal Naughton (EMU)
Andrew Manning (CMU)
Curtis Vollmar (EMU)
Brian King (Ohio)
Curtis Baldwin (EMU)

Men's coach of the year
John Goodridge (EMU)

Women 1st team
Carime Reinhart (Ohio)
Mary Veith (UB)
Andrea Mass (Ohio)
Kim Settle (BGSU)
Sediah Erskine (Akron)
Kari Summers (Ohio)
Jamie Roflow (BGSU)

Women 2nd team
Stephanie Blackstone (KSU)
Jackie Rivard (CMU)
Dagmara Handzlik (Toledo)
Jennie Stoll (Miami)
Annie Beecham (Ohio)
Kalli Williams (EMU)
Nicole Camp (Toledo)

Women's coach of the year

Clay Calkins (Ohio).