1976 NCAA XC nationals grumblefest

berol wrote:

The race started in 15-degree weather, but warmed up to 17 by the end.

"Rono also said he was unhappy with the cold weather.

'I don't like it. After three miles, my fingers went numb. But my only problem was to go in front early. There was no problem running in front,' he said.

Confusion plagued the event. There were two false starts, with Rono in front both times as the field was called back to the starting line."

Was this the year they false started on the 1-minute warning? In another "false start," Eugene's city newspaper printed the preliminary results as if they were the final results, that their Oregon squad got 2nd, only to find out after the paper hit the streets that Oregon had won.

Can't remember if we false started on the 1-minute warning the first time - do remember Rono being pretty far out before he was called back. After the second false start I just wanted to get the damned thing running in order to keep from freezing.

1977

  1. Henry Rono, So., Washington State, 28:33.5

  2. John Treacy, Sr., Providence, 28:51.0

  3. Gerard Deegan, Providence, 28:56.9

  4. Marc Hunter, Cleveland State, 29:02.2

  5. Joel Cheruiyot, Washington State, 29:02.4

  6. Solomon Chebor, Wyoming, 29:03.4

  7. Simon Kilili, Wyoming, 29:15.1

  8. Thom Hunt, So., Arizona, 29:15.9

  9. Alberto Salazar, So., Oregon, 29:20.8

10. Thomas Wysocki, Nevada, 29:30.8

11. Benton Hart, Brigham Young, 29:32.6

12. Don Clary, So., Oregon, 29:33.1

13. Daniel Dillon, Providence, 29:33.6

14. Mark Spilsbury, Colorado, 29:34.3

15. George Watts, Tennessee, 29:35.4

16. Mike Quinn, Massachusetts, 29:36.6

17. John Flora, Northeastern, 29:40.7

18. Joseph Sherran, Eastern Illinois, 29:42.1

19. Rodolpho Gomez, UTEP, 29:42.4

20. James Munyala, Jr., UTEP, 29:43.8

21. Octavio Guadarrama, Utah, 29:44.3

22. Mickey Morris, Utah, 29:47.2

23. Stetson Arnold, Massachusetts, 29:47.9

24. Billy Donakowski, Michigan, 29:48.0

25. Kip Sirma, UTEP, 29:48.2

26. Raymond Flynn, East Tennessee State, 29:50.2

27. Rudy Chapa, So., Oregon, 29:51.2

28. Bill McChesney, Oregon, 29:51.5

29. Henry Marsh, Brigham Young, 29:51.8

30. Brian Hunsaker, San Diego State, 29:51.9

31. Sam Maritim, UTEP, 29:52.6

32. Louis Kenny, East Tennessee State, 29:52.8

33. David Shoots, Arizona, 29:53.6

34. Robert Snyder, Penn State, 29:53.9

35. Joseph Nzau, Wyoming, 29:56.6

36. Geir Kvernmo, Wyoming, 29:56.9

37. James Peterson, Georgetown, 29:57.9

38. James Stintzi, Wisconsin, 29:58.3

39. Michael Novelli, Rice, 29:58.4

40. Joseph Kemei, West Texas State, 30:00.5

41. Jeff Randolph, Wisconsin, 30:01.6

42. Charles Roberts, Ohio State, 30:03.5

43. David Walters, Illinois, 30:04.4

44. Geoffrey Koech, UTEP, 30:07.0

45. Ralph King, North Carolina, 30:08.2

46. Dale Kramer, Carleton, 30:08.7

47. David Murphy, Nevada, 30:09.4

48. Chris Fox, Virginia, 30:10.6

49. Curt Alitz, Army, 30:11.3

50. Larry Cuzzort, McNeese State, 30:12.1

51. Adrian Leek, East Tennessee State, 30:12.3

52. Michael Bollman, North Dakota State, 30:12.9

53. Boyd Nansei, Drake, 30:13.1

54. Sal Vega, Tennessee, 30:13.3

55. Mark Finucane, East Tennessee State, 30:13.7

56. George Buckheit, Bucknell, 30:15.1

57. Thomas Burridge, Kentucky, 30:16.2

58. Martin Froelick, Rice, 30:16.4

59. Ralph Cerna, UC Irvine, 30:17.8

60. Martyn Brewer, Murray State, 30:18.1

61. Stephen Eashus, Bloomsburg State, 30:18.1

62. Jeremy Oolin, Murray State, 30:18.8

63. Matt Centrowitz, Sr., Oregon, 30:19.7

64. James Eicken, Illinois, 30:20.2

65. Juan Garcia, UTEP, 30:21.2

66. Luis Hernandez, Brigham Young, 30:23.4

Wow, Wysocki took down some pretty big names.

Wysocki should have been a senior. Change Jeremy Oolin to Olin, typo in the newspaper.

1978's temperature was a balmy 20.

Malmo, since you're taking requests, can you dig up '80 and '81 (which was when Scharsu kept UTEP from a shutout)??

Thanks

1980

  1. Suleiman Nyambui, UTEP, 29:04.0

  2. Matthews Motshwarateu, Fr., UTEP, 29:06.4

  3. Solomon Chebor, Jr., Fairleigh Dickinson, 29:08.4

  4. James Rotich, UTEP, 29:13.9

  5. Garry Henry, Pembroke State, 29:14.6

  6. Mark Scrutton, Colorado, 29:20.7

  7. Alan Scharsu, Penn State, 29:25.2

  8. Mark Andersen, Arkansas, 29:27.4

  9. Dan Heikkinen, Michigan, 29:28.0

10. David Taylor, Arkansas, 29:32.8

1981

  1. Matthews Motshwarateu, So., UTEP, 28:45.6

  2. Michael Musyoki, Sr., UTEP, 28:46.4

  3. Gabriel Kamau, UTEP, 29:19.3

  4. Mark Scrutton, Colorado, 29:22.1

  5. Graeme Fell, San Diego State, 29:30.4

  6. Alan Scharsu, Penn State, 29:30.5

  7. Suleiman Nyambui, UTEP, 29:32.6

  8. Gidamis Shahanga, UTEP, 29:33.6

  9. David Taylor, Arkansas, 29:35.6

10. Richard Tuwei, Washington State, 29:36.7

My memories from 81

1)Going out fast and thinking if this didn't slow down, I was in big trouble.

2)Coming up to Nyambui the final straight, as I passed, he looked over and smiled at me. He was their 5th man and in 8th place.

2)At the awards ceremony he shaked my hand and told me I was going to have a good college future. I told him I was a senior and he looked puzzled. I'm sure I looked young to a 28 year old.

UTEP school records

27:36.2 ...... Gabriel Kamau' (UTEP) 82

27:38.1 ... Gidamis Shahanga' (UTEP) 82

27:38.6 ......... Zack Barie' (UTEP) 82

27:51.3 ... Suleiman Nyambui' (UTEP) 81 Oly 5k silver (80)

28:03.25 ...... Mike Musyoki' (UTEP) 79 Oly 10k bronze (84)

Alan Scharsu wrote:

2)At the awards ceremony he shaked my hand and told me I was going to have a good college future. I told him I was a senior and he looked puzzled. I'm sure I looked young to a 28 year old.

Earth to Alan, even as a 28 year old you looked young. Take it as a compliment, kid.

Change Jeremy Olin Oolin to Odlin. Englishman who spent some time in Jacksonville, FL.