November 14, 2005 - MAYNE AUTOMATIC QUALIFIER FOR NCAA CROSS COUNTRY
Chattanooga distance runner Ian Mayne received word Monday morning that he earned an automatic qualification for the 2005 men’s NCAA Cross Country Championships next week in Terre Haute, Ind.
“We were all pretty happy last night,” UTC Head Coach Bill Gautier said. “We were waiting for it to be posted online and it must have come up right after I signed off because Ian called immediately.”
Mayne, a senior from Pickering, Ontario, earned All-Region honors at the NCAA South Region meet Saturday in Gainesville, Fla., for his 10th place finish. He was the fourth individual qualifier to cross the finish line after the automatic and at-large teams were taken out of the mix. Two teams automatically qualify for the region then 13 more teams are selected to receive at-large bids.
“He was ecstatic. This has been a life-long dream for him,” Guatier said. “I’m proud of both of these athletes.”
Mayne joins senior Shannon Wommack who qualified for her third NCAA National Championships with her win at the South Region meet Saturday. The race is set for Monday, Nov. 21 at the Wabash Valley Family Center in Terre Haute, Ind., and is hosted by Indiana State University.
This year marks the 25th championship for the women’s teams and the 67th for the men.