Webster, McGuire Selected for Top Conference Honors
11/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Senior/junior Erin Webster (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child) of the University of Michigan women's cross country team has been named the Big Ten Conference Athlete of the Year for women's cross country. Also receiving honors are head coach Mike McGuire, who was named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year for the fifth straight season, and fifth-year senior Arianne Field (Kalamazoo, Mich./Hackett), who is U-M's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient, as announced by the league office Thursday (Nov. 2).
Webster was named Big Ten Athlete of the Year for women's cross country after winning the Big Ten individual title by 12 seconds over teammate junior Alyson Kohlmeier (Sarnia, Ontario/St. Patrick's) last Sunday (Oct. 29) in a Big Ten 6,000-meter record time of 20:23. Michigan's sixth Big Ten champion crossed the finish line 10 seconds faster than the conference's previous top time of 20:33, set by Michigan State's Danette Doetzel in 2004.
Webster had a breakout season, as she claimed victories in four out of the five races in which she ran. The only race that she did not win was the NCAA Pre-Nationals, where she recorded the fourth fastest time out of both divisions, a total field of 500 runners. Her dominating season led to two Big Ten Runner of the Week citations in 2006 (Sept. 12, Oct. 17).
McGuire was named coach of the year after leading Michigan to its fifth straight Big Ten championship and the eighth title in program history. He earned Big Ten Coach of the Year accolades three straight seasons from 1992-94 and five straight seasons from 2002-06, while also receiving NCAA Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year honors five years (1992-94 and 2004-05). His eight coach of the year honors rank second in the conference behind the nine annual awards of former Wisconsin coach Peter Tegen. McGuire has coached 71 cross country and track and field All-Americans and six Big Ten cross country individual champions.
Field earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for her ethical behavior and good sportsmanship during competition while maintaining good academic standing and demonstrating good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. She placed 18th overall at the Big Ten Championships and has been a part of Michigan's last three conference titles. She is now eligible for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, which is awarded to one male and one female student-athlete from each institution at the end of the school year.
At the 2006 Big Ten Championships the Wolverines placed all five scorers in the top 22 spots. Michigan has finished in the top two at the Big Ten Championships in 14 of McGuire's 15 seasons at the helm, while 12 of his squads have earned top-15 national finishes and eight have finished in the top 10.
Michigan competes in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Saturday, Nov. 11, at Forrest Creason Golf Course in Bowling Green, Ohio. The women's 6,000-meter race is slated for an 11:30 a.m. start.
Contact: Tim Trunzo (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
