Villanova Univeristy Athletics

1993 WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
 

November 25, 1993
Mike Blimm
Assistant Sports Information Director

A celebration in the Jake Nevin Field House told the story, as the Villanova University women’s cross country team continued its incredible dominance this past Monday when they won their fifth consecutive NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship. The Wildcats edged the University of Arkansas at Lehigh University’s Goodman Campus in Bethlehem, PA. Villanova scored 66 points for the win, while Arkansas finished as the runner-up for the third year in a row with a total of 71 points. The score was Villanova’s best total of the five National Championships.
 
With the win, Villanova has now won their last 35 meets, a streak that began September 15, 1989. They also extended their own NCAA record of five straight women’s cross country titles (no other school has ever won more than two). The meet also saw a Villanova runner claim the individual title for the fifth year in a row.
 
Senior Carole Zajac (Sr., Pittsburgh, PA) ran away from the field for her second straight individual victory. Only she and former teammate Sonia O’Sullivan have ever won back-to-back NCAA titles in the 13 year history of the meet. Zajac had company, however, as teammate Jen Rhines (So., Liverpool, NY) finished second in the meet over the 5,000m course.
 
Zajac and Rhines were part of a pack of eight runners at the half-way point of the race but then separated themselves from the field as Zajac took command at the two mile mark and cruised to her second NCAA Individual Championship in two years. Rhines led the second pack before pulling away at the 2.5 mile mark and held on for second place over the final half-mile. Zajac was timed in 16:40.3, while Rhines recorded a time of 16:44.4.
 
Also running in the front pack for the first half of the race was Becky Spies (Jr., Livermore, CA). After the lead pack broke up, Spies finished strongly in seventh place overall, clocked in 16:54.6. More importantly, she finished just ahead of two Arkansas runners to give Villanova valuable points.
 
Tosha Woodward (Jr., Bel Air, MD) ran conservatively for the first half of the race, but then unleashed a tremendous kick over the final half-mile, passing 15 runners in the last 900 meters, to finish in 31^st place in 17:18.1. Through Villanova and Arkansas’ first four runners, the score was tied. The fifth runner would determine the national champion.
 
Emer Molloy (Sr., Ballymahon, Ireland) was running fifth for Villanova throughout the race, and like Woodward used a strong kick over the final mile to secure her final placing of 48^th in 17:32.0. One of the runners around Molloy in the stretch was Amy McKinley of Arkansas who was their fifth runner. Molloy edged McKinley by two seconds and five places to give Villanova their fifth NCAA Championship in a row.
 
“When the season started no one in America gave us a chance to win,” recalled head coach “Uncle Marty” Stern. “But these athletes believed they could win. Today was a total team effort by outstanding runners. Anyone who was a part of this will not soon forget the excitement that occurred at Lehigh.
 
“Carole Zajac has passed the test to become one of the all-time greats at Villanova,” continued Stern. “Like her predecessors, she has led her team to NCAA Championships, has been a leader and has withstood tremendous pressures. She is now a member of the club.
 
“Jen Rhines has to be the most improved runner in the United States. As only a sophomore, she has begun to make her mark as one of the all-time greats and has now become the heiress to the crown.
 
“Becky Spies used all of her great talent and heart to outduel two Arkansas runners. She is not only an All-American, but one of the most respected runners in the nation.
 
“Tosha Woodward had a flawless season and ran a beautiful race, passing many opposing runners in the stretch. I proclaim her Rookie-of-the-Year in the NCAA. If she doesn’t run cross country, they would by partying in Fayetteville (Arkansas) instead of the Jake Nevin Field House.
 
“Every high school coach in the world stresses how important the fifth runner is, and just showing a tape of this race would show why. Emer Molloy has been a hard-working, loyal, blue-collar runner for four years, and she is now known around the country as the one who dug as deep as anyone to give us a National Championship. She will wear her ring proudly.”
 

VILLANOVA ROSTER
Name	Class	Hometown	High School
Emer Molloy	Senior	Ballymahon, Ireland	Mercy Secondary
Jen Rhines	Sophomore	Liverpool, N.Y.	Liverpool
Stacy Robinson	Sophomore	Phoenixville, Pa.	Phoenixville
Cara Salabrici	Freshman	Syracuse, N.Y.	Henninger
Nikki Shaw	Sophomore	Fillmore, Calif.	Fillmore
Becky Spies	Junior	Livermore, Calif.	Livermore
Krestena Sullivan	Freshman	Kitchenter, Ont.	St. Mary's
Tosha Woodward	Junior	Bel Air, Md.	Fairport (N.Y.)
Carole Zajac	Senior	Pittsburgh, Pa.	Baldwin
Head Coach: Marty Stern (West Chester '59), 11th Season
Assistant Coach: John Marshall, Second Season

 

1993 HONORS AND AWARDS