Rutledge, Vavra Named XC Coaches of the Year

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Missouri Southern's Tom Rutledge and Patty Vavra have been selected as MIAA Men's and Women's Cross Country Coaches of the Year, respectively, by league coaches.
 
Rutledge earned his fifth MIAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year award after guiding Southern to its eighth MIAA title in the last 10 years. Three Lions earned All-MIAA honors by finishing in the top ten individually.
 
Vavra has now won five MIAA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year awards, including four in a row. Her Southern women also claimed their fourth consecutive MIAA title (fifth overall), in record-setting fashion. Kimi Shank won the individual title for the second year in a row, and five other Lions earned All-MIAA accolades with top-10 finishes. MSSU's 18 points was the lowest score in MIAA history, surpassing Southeast Missouri State's 20 point showing in 1984.
 
Next up for Missouri Southern and the rest of the MIAA are the NCAA South Central Regional Championships Nov. 7 in Abilene, Texas. The 2009 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will be held Nov. 21 at the University of Southern Indiana Cross Country Course in Evansville, Ind.
 
2009 MIAA Cross Country Postseason Honors

Men's Coach of the Year:
Tom Rutledge, MSSU
 
Women's Coach of the Year:
Patty Vavra, MSSU
 
Men's Individual Champion:
Michael Pierce, SBU
 
Women's Individual Champion:
Kimi Shank, MSSU
 
Men's Freshman of the Year:
Laban Sialo, UCM
 
Women's Freshman of the Year:
Marlee Tegenkamp, MSSU
 
All-MIAA Men's Cross Country Team (in order of finish):
Michael Pierce, SBU
Laban Sialo, UCM
Brennan Benkert, MSSU
Jeremy Glassmaker, SBU
Tim Testa, PSU
Mujahid Hassaballa, PSU
Cliff Miles, PSU
Shawn Etzenhouser, SBU
Jarkko Jarvenpaa, MSSU
Josh Mathis, MSSU
 
All-MIAA Women's Cross Country Team (in order of finish):
Kimi Shank, MSSU
Ashley Siler, MSSU
Dani Dell'Orco, TSU
Ashley Bunch, MSSU
Courtney Waltbillig, MSSU
Marlee Tegenkamp, MSSU
Silvia Pineda, MSSU
Anner Ratermann, TSU
Jennifer Butler, PSU
Karen Grauel, TSU
 
Men's All-MIAA Honorable Mention (in order of finish):
Aki Nummela, MSSU
Will Hohmeier, ESU
Dalton Moberly, UCM
Nick Niggemann, MSSU
Adam Volkert, PSU
Zach Layton, NWMSU
Skyler Delmott, ESU
Brett Carter, UCM
T.R. Pursell, NWMSU
Matt Haffner, PSU
 
Women's All-MIAA Honorable Mention (in order of finish):
Cindy Grauel, TSU
Angela Adams, NWMSU
Melissa Peden, PSU
Brittney Graff, PSU
Kaley Temaat, PSU
Hali Mobley, FHSU
Caitlin Laskowski, PSU
Jenna Mellen, PSU
Megan Oddo, UNO
Brooke Buerky, UCM
 
MIAA Cross Country Coach of the Year Award Winners (since 1993)

Men
1993 Kirk Pedersen, UCM
1994 Ed Schneider, TSU
1995 Kirk Pedersen, UCM
1996 Kirk Pedersen, UCM
1997 Rich Alsup, NWMSU
1998 Kirk Pedersen, UCM
1999 Kirk Pedersen, UCM
2000 Tom Rutledge, MSSU
2001 Ed Schneider, TSU
2002 Tom Rutledge, MSSU
2003 Tom Rutledge, MSSU
2004 Kirk Pedersen, UCM
2005 Kirk Pedersen, UCM
2006 Jeff DeLong, SBU
2007 Tom Rutledge, MSSU
2008 Corey McElhaney, SBU
2009 Tom Rutledge, MSSU
 
Women
1993 Russ Jewett, PSU
1994 David Harris, ESU
1995 Ron DeShon, NWMSU
1996 Ron DeShon, NWMSU
1997 Bud Williams, NWMSU
1998 Patty Vavra, MSSU
1999 Kirk Pedersen, UCM
2000 John Cochrane, TSU
2001 Russ Jewett, PSU
2002 Russ Jewett, PSU
2003 Russ Jewett, PSU
2004 Kirk Pedersen, UCM
2005 Kirk Pedersen, UCM
2006 Patty Vavra, MSSU
2007 Patty Vavra, MSSU
2008 Patty Vavra, MSSU
2009 Patty Vavra, MSSU