Nov. 10, 2007

Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University men's cross country team placed six individuals among the top-15 overall and cruised to a win at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships, while junior Melissa Grelli (Cupertino, Calif./Presentation) won the women's race to lead the Hoyas to a third place finish of 28 teams at Lehigh University's Goodman campus.

The men's team topped the 28-team field with 42 points, while Villanova placed second (70), followed by Princeton (74), American (176) and Navy rounding out the top-five (184).

The women's field was won by Princeton, who placed five individuals among the top-20 overall, with 56 points. West Virginia was second (77), followed by Georgetown (79), Penn State (93) and Villanova (115).

Georgetown's men's team was led by senior Matt Debole (Winston-Salem, N.C./Mount Tabor), who finished second in the field of 189 runners, completing the 10K course in 30:18, and sophomore Andrew Bumbalough (Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood Academy), who placed third in 30:24.

Junior Justin Scheid (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXII) finished in 11th place in 30:39, followed closely by sophomore Levi Miller (Belfast, Maine/Belfast Area), who finished in 12th place in 30:40. Junior Michael Krisch (Hopkins, Minn./Hopkins) finished in 14th place in 30:42, freshman Ayalew Taye (Portland, Maine/Cushing Academy) finished in 15th place in 30:44 and sophomore Sandy Roberts (Raleigh, N.C./Broughton) placed 22nd in 30:55.

On the women's side, Grelli completed the 6K course in 19:50, eight seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. Junior Lisa Ogrodnick (Beaconsfield, Quebec/Beaconsfield) finished in eighth place in 20:25 and senior Elizabeth Maloy (Loudonville, N.Y./Holy Names) placed ninth in 20:28.

Junior Maggie Infeld (University Heights, Ohio/Beaumont) finished in 27th place in 21:10, while sophomore Lauren Gregory (Denville, N.J./Morris Knolls) placed 34th in 21:26, sophomore Renee Tomlin (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) finished in 36th place in 21:29 and junior Avril Ogrodnick (Beaconsfield, Quebec/Beaconsfield) took 50th in 21:53.

With the strong performances, both the men's and women's teams, who are currently ranked No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in the Mid-Atlantic region's latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll, earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., which will be held on November 19.