Nov. 17, 2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State's Walt Drenth and Rita Arndt-Molis were named the 2006 Great Lakes Region Women's Co-Coaches of the Year, as released by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Nov. 17. Drenth and Arndt-Molis led the Spartan women to the Great Lakes Regional Championship on Nov. 11, securing an automatic bid to the national meet. Michigan State will be making its sixth-straight appearance at the NCAA Championships, and enter the race ranked No. 4 in the nation. The Spartan men will accompany the women, after finishing fourth at the regional meet and earning an at-large bid.

"It is a great honor to be recognized by our colleagues and peers," Arndt-Molis said. "This season has been a collective effort from the coaches, support staff and every single athlete. We will continue to build on our success, as we aim to make Michigan State a perennial power in the conference, region and nation. This gives us a good glimpse into the future."

The Regional Championship was the third title in school history and the first for the Spartans since 2001. All five Spartan women finished in the top-25 and collected all-region accolades. The win boosted Michigan State from 11th in the national poll to No. 4, as they defeated two top-five teams, Wisconsin and Michigan, on the way to the crown.

Success has been a constant theme for Michigan State in 2006. The Spartans opened the season taking the top-four spots at the unscored 5K Jeff Drenth Memorial. Alissa McKaig was named Big Ten Runner of the Week for her first-place finish, the first women's cross country runner to earn the weekly honor for MSU since Danette Doetzel in 2004.

The Green and White followed the Jeff Drenth Memorial with the team title at its lone home meet of the year, the Spartan Invitational, and finished fifth at the highly touted Roy Griak Invitational. Michigan State took sixth at the Pre-NCAA `blue' race to conclude the regular season.

At the Big Ten Championships, Michigan State placed fourth, but in a highly competitive conference, were just 10 points out of second. McKaig was named to the All-Big Ten First Team, while Michelle Rafferty was named to the second team.

The trip to the NCAA Championships will be the eighth overall for MSU. The Green and White had its highest placing in the inaugural season, finishing fourth, as the women's race was not sanctioned by the NCAA until 1981. Michigan State's best finish during its current streak was an 11th-place performance in 2001. The Spartans finished 30th a year ago.

Indiana State University will host the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships, at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind. The women's race will begin at noon Eastern time followed by the men's race at 1:15 p.m.