All-American Pilja Finishes 17th at National Meet

Monday, November 20

Ames, Iowa

12:15 PM CT

Michigan

NCAA Championships

11/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country

AMES, Iowa -- The University of Michigan men's cross country team sent junior Mark Pilja (Naperville, Ill./Naperville HS) to the NCAA Championships on Monday (Nov. 20), and Pilja succeeded in his attempt to garner All-America honors as he ran to a 17th-place finish on the 10,000-meter Iowa State University Cross Country Course.

Pilja

In a close race, Pilja's time of 30:48.5, was just eight seconds shy of being in the top 10 overall. Keith Kelly of Providence won the individual title in a time of 30:14.5. Arkansas took the team title with 83 points, led by four harriers in the top 20 overall. Wisconsin was the highest Big Ten Conference team, coming in fifth (167 points).

Pilja was the third fastest Big Ten harrier in the meet. Ian Connor of Ohio State and Jason Vanderhoof of Wisconsin finished sixth and eighth, respectively.

Pilja becomes the 18th different U-M harrier to win All-America honors under head coach Ron Warhurst. Pilja joins fellow teammate Mike Wisniewski (Temperance, Mich./Bedford HS) and Jay Cantin (1996-99), who achieved the feat a year ago.

Top 10 Teams

 1. Arkansas 83 2. Colorado 94 3. Providence 121 4. Stanford 149 5. Wisconsin 167 6. Villanova 181 7. Georgetown 269 Northern Arizona 269 9. Notre Dame 276 10. William & Mary 363

Top Individuals

 1. Keith Kelly, Providence 30:14.5 2. Stephen Ondieki, Farleigh Dickinson 30:16.3 3. Jorge Torres, Colorado 30:21.4 4. David Kimani, Alabama 30:21.6 5. Franklyn Sanchez, Georgetown 30:26.9

Michigan Individual Finishes