Cross Country's Daniel Primed For National Title Run
November 19, 1999 | Women's Cross Country
Nov. 19, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech cross country athlete Leigh Daniel, one of the nation's top runners this season, will have the opportunity to add another national title to her trophy collection when she competes at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Bloomington, Ind., on Monday, November 22. Daniel qualified for the race after a seventh place finish at the Mountain Regional Championships last weekend.
The meet is being hosted by Indiana University in Bloomington. Thirty-one teams of seven individuals as well as 38 individual qualifiers make up the field for the meet.
The championship appearance is the culmination of what has been Daniel's most outstanding cross country season of her collegiate career. During the 1999 season she has been the winner of three meets and was second at the Big 12 Championships. In her previous trip this season to the IU course where the race will be ran, Daniel finished third place behind Kara Wheeler of Colorado and Amy Yoder of Arkansas.
This season Daniel has been honored as Big 12 Runner of the Week after her performance at the Sundodger Invitational in Seattle. She was also an All-Big 12 selection for her finish at the conference meet.
"This should be a good race for Leigh," Tech cross country coach Dave Smith said. "The IU course is ideal for a meet like this and Leigh runs better against good competition. Anytime you have the opportunity to run in a national championship you have to feel good about what you've accomplished. Leigh has certainly earned this opportunity."
Besides facing Wheeler and Yoder again, Daniel will see some familiar opponents as five Big 12 women's teams have qualified for the meet.
The women's 5,000-meter race will be run at 11:15 a.m. Monday morning.
TTU