Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships (Grand Junction, CO)

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - October 25, 2008 - Adams State College won their seventh straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women's cross country championship title and their fourth consecutive RMAC men's cross country championship title. The 2008 RMAC Cross Country Championships were held Oct. 25 in Grand Junction, Colo. at the 27 1/4 Road Motocross Area.

The Grizzlies women's team won the 6K race with 29 points, which was 18 points better than second place Western State. The title was ASC's 22nd overall conference championship title since 1981. Adams State also swept the individual awards with Lavenna Mullenbach earning the RMAC Runner of the Year and J.J. Lende earning the RMAC Freshman of the Year award. Head coach Damon Martin was voted the 2008 RMAC men's and women's cross country coach of the Year.

The ASC men's team finished 29 points ahead of Western State to earn their 31st conference cross country title. Aaron Braun won the men's 8K race to earn the 2008 RMAC Runner of the Year honor. Braun also won the award last year and was named the 2006 RMAC Freshman of Year. New Mexico Highlands Nicaise Kazingo was the first freshman to cross the line and was named the RMAC Freshman of the Year.

Twenty-one student-athletes were named to the All-RMAC women's and men's cross country teams. The first seven place finishers were named to the All-RMAC First Team, while the next seven runners (eighth-14th) were named to the All-RMAC Second Team, and the 15th-21st place finishers earned All-RMAC Third Team honors.

Women's Team Scores
1 Adams State, 29
2 Western State, 47
3 Mesa State, 108
4 Metro State, 115
5 UC-Colorado Springs, 140
6 Colorado Mines, 166
7 Nebraska-Kearney, 197
8 Fort Lewis, 223
9 Regis University, 224
10 N.M. Highlands, 272
11 Western N.M., 317
12 Colorado Christian, 346
13 CSU-Pueblo, 368

RMAC Runner of the Year: Lavenna Mullenbach, Adams State
RMAC Freshman of the Year: J.J. Lende, Adams State
RMAC Coach of the Year: Damon Martin, Adams State

First Team All-RMAC
Lavenna Mullenbach, Adams State
Shannon Payne, UC-Colorado Springs
Heather Wood, Adams State
J.J. Lende, Adams State
Julianne Payton, Western State
Alexis Skarda, Mesa State
Lisa Thomas, Western State

Second Team All-RMAC
Hilory Davis, Western State
Esmeralda Martinez-Ramos, Mesa State
Sofia Monroe, Adams State
Janette Cary, Adams State
Chelsea Rutter, Metro State
Sarah Lyle, Western State
Emily Schmidt, Western State

Third Team All-RMAC
Melanie Peddle, Colorado Mines
Ashley Quintana, Adams State
Danielle Kehoe, Metro State
Sydney Laws, Colorado Mines
Alexandra Tayrien, Western State
Vanessa Roy, Adams State
Natalia Guerrero, Western State

Men's Team Scores
1 Adams State, 20
2 Western State, 49
3 Colorado Mines, 81
4 Metro State, 135
5 N.M. Highlands, 143
6 UC-Colorado Springs, 162
7 Nebraska-Kearney, 184
8 Fort Lewis, 200
9 Western N.M, 303
10 Regis University, 309
11 Colorado Christian, 312

RMAC Runner of the Year: Aaron Braun, Adams State
RMAC Freshman of the Year: Nicaise Kazingo, N.M. Highlands
RMAC Coach of the Year: Damon Martin, Adams State

First Team All-RMAC
Aaron Braun, Adams State
Brian Medigovich, Adams State
Laurent Ngirakamaro, NM Highlands
Ryan McNiff, Adams State
Reuben Mwei, Adams State
Tyler Pennel, Western State
Iain Donnan, Western State

Second Team All-RMAC
Babey Wagnew, Adams State
Loren Ahonen, Western State
Florian Theophile, Adams State
Ben Zywicki, Colorado Mines
Nicaise Kazingo, NM Highlands
Sean Brown, Western State
Jason Graham, Western State

Third Team All-RMAC
Sean Cusick, Colorado Mines
Nate Hatleback, Colorado Mines
Drew Graham, Adams State
Drew Soucy, Adams State
Jacques Annandale, Colorado Mines
Tyler Rasmussen, Western State
Tanner Fruit, Nebraska-Kearney
- RMAC Press Release

Brian Medigovich (158) leads Reuben Mwei.

Lavenna Mullenbach on her way to victory.

Jason Graham (234) leads Drew Soucy.

The women battle the hills of the desert course.

The Adams State XC team celebrate thier victories after the race.