VERMILLION, SD - The University of South Dakota's Rob Gregoire and Ramsey Fitzsimmons, members of the men's and women's cross country teams, claimed individual titles for the second year in a row at the Don Baker Memorial Meet held at the Don Baker Memorial Cross Country Course in Vermillion on Saturday morning.
Rob Gregoire (Wakonda, SD) defended his title by running 26:22 for the 8000 meter course. USD runner Sean Fitzsimmons (Yankton, S.D.) was the second Coyote to cross the finish line taking third place, followed by Mark Hayden (St. Louis, Mo.) and Andrew Duba (Sioux Falls, S.D.) in fifth and sixth place. Rounding out the top five for the Coyotes was freshman Nick Beare (Sioux Falls, S.D.), finishing in 11th place overall.
Ramsey Fitzsimmons (Yankton, SD) defended her title this morning by breaking her own course record with a time of 17:57. USD runners claimed five of the top eight spots with Sarah Wickman (Iowa City, Iowa) and Heather Kuhlmann (Nebraska City, Neb.) taking the fourth and fifth spots and Abigail Duling (Gregory, S.D.) and Kelsey Maloney (Sioux Falls, S.D) placing seventh and eighth.
Both the men's and women's teams won the team championship as well. The women scored 25 points, beating Morningside College with 32 points and Mount Marty College with 85 points. The men tallied 26 points defeating Morningside College who scored 42 points, Mount Marty College with 86 and Midland Lutheran College with 91 points.
Both squads will next be in action on Sept. 20 in Lincoln, NE at the Woody Greeno Invitational.
