Nov. 17, 2007

IRVING, Texas - Jim Bevan of Rice and Silje Fjortoft of SMU were among a select group of coaches and athletes that were honored as regional award winners for the Division I women's cross country season. The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced the award winners for nine Division I regions.

Under Bevan's guidance, Rice upset Arkansas at the South Central Regional, 54-70, and is ranked 11th nationally heading into the NCAA Championships. The regional title was Rice's first. The Owls also won the Conference USA title with a record score of 26 points, earning Bevan C-USA cross country coach of the year accolades. He also received conference coach of the year honors for both indoor and outdoor track & field last spring.

In September, he was selected as the Conference USA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Coaches Choice Award winner for 2006-07. The SAAC Coaches Choice Award recognizes a coach that is committed to fostering student-athlete development and welfare through a positive athletic and academic atmosphere.

Fjortoft, 2007 NCAA South Central Region Female Athlete of the Year, got faster as the season progressed. After placing fifth at the Notre Dame Invitational, she was fourth at the Chile Pepper Invitational and second in the Conference USA Championships. She then won the South Central Regional title by 11 seconds, clocking 20:35 for 6,000 meters.

Fjortoft has previously been named the C-USA Freshman of the Year and has twice been tabbed as the C-USA Athlete of the Week.

The Orsta, Norway, native is the second SMU student-athlete to win the award in as many years, as Rachael Forish won honored a year ago.

The Owls and Fjortoft will compete at the 2007 NCAA National Championships on Monday at approximately 11:55 am (CST). The meet will be broadcast live on CSTV.

In addition to the Rice women and Fjortoft competing at nationals, C-USA will also have the UTEP and Tulsa men battling for a national team title.