Oct. 31, 2006

EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP cross country team received 401 votes to rank fourth nationally in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches (USTFCCC) poll.

The Miners follow Wisconsin (448 points), Colorado (426 points) and Iona (415 points) in the rankings. UTEP holds the top spot -- ahead of Colorado -- in the USTFCCC's Mountain Region poll.

UTEP scored a C-USA Championship record 21 points to win its second-consecutive title last weekend.

Sophomore Patrick Mutai repeated as champion, followed by Stephen Samoei (second) and Nicodemus Ng'etich (fourth). The three were named first team All-Conference USA.

Japheth Ng'ojoy (sixth) and Dominic Kiprono Tanui (eighth) earned second team All-Conference honors.

Ng'etich was additionally named the C-USA Freshman of the Year and head coach Paul Ereng was selected as the C-USA Coach of the Year for the second-consecutive season.

The Miners will run at the NCAA Mountain Regional on Nov. 11 in Albuquerque, N.M.