Dirksen Announces Team Awards

Nebraska cross country coach Jay Dirksen announced team awards and letterwinners for the 2005 cross country season on Monday.

It was a successful year for the Huskers, as the women and men brought home a combined three team titles and each improved their rankings at the Big 12 Championships as the men moved up to 10th and the women improved to fifth.

The season was highlighted by senior tri-captain Kayte Tranel, who was named the women’s most valuable runner. The Hampton, Neb., native did not run cross country in high school, and redshirted last season before opening this year with a first-place finish at the Creighton/UNO Classic. She ended the season in grand fashion by becoming just the fifth Husker woman to earn All-America honors when she placed 28th overall in a career-best 6K time of 20:26 at the NCAA Championships.

Earning the men’s most valuable runner was sophomore Peter van der Westhuizen, who ran cross country for the first time at the collegiate level. The Kempton Park, South Africa, native took home the individual championship at the Creighton/UNO Classic, and went on to lead the men in every race he competed throughout the season, including a 25th-place finish at the Big 12 Championships.

Sophomore Betsy Miller and junior co-captain Bryce Dickmeyer were named the most improved runners for the women’s and men’s squads, respectively.

Miller also did not run cross country in high school, but has made great strides through her first two seasons with the Huskers. A native of Lodgepole, Neb., Miller knocked 3 minutes and 25 seconds off her career best 6K time when she was clocked at 22:42 at the Big 12 Championships this season. Her 38th-place finish at the conference meet was more than 50 places higher than last season when she was 92nd.

Dickmeyer set a career best in the 10K this season with a time of 32:06 at the Chile Pepper Festival, which was more than a minute off his previous best. The Fremont, Neb., native was the only male runner with extensive collegiate cross country experience heading into this season, and helped the men improve to 10th as a team at the Big 12 Championships. Dickmeyer also placed third at the Creighton/UNO Classic.

Dirksen awarded letters to eight women and three men for their efforts this season. All award winners are listed below.

 

2005 Cross Country Letter Winners

Women

Channing Anseth, Sophomore, 1st Letter

Joslyn Dalton, Sophomore, 2nd Letter

Ari Goldstein, Freshman, 1st Letter

Michaela Lenihan, Senior, 1st Letter

Betsy Miller, Sophomore, 1st Letter

Kim Pancoast, Junior, 3rd Letter

Kayte Tranel, Senior, 3rd Letter

Natalja Zarcenko, Freshman, 1st Letter

 

Men

Bryce Dickmeyer, Junior, 2nd Letter

Brian Parr, Freshman, 1st Letter

Peter van der Westhuizen, Sophomore, 1st Letter

 

2005 Most Valuable Cross Country Runners

Women

Kayte Tranel

 

Men

Peter van der Westhuizen

 

2005 Most Improved Cross Country Runners

Women

Betsy Miller

 

Men

Bryce Dickmeyer