Mr. Intensity, CHS grad Tyler King, shared top billing with Husky teammate Maddie Meyers heading into the NCAA Championships. (Photo property of University of Washington cross country)
When he looks back at his collegiate cross country career, Tyler King may want to forget the final race.
Coming off of an electric 5th place finish at the West Regionals a week earlier, the University of Washington senior had a rough run at Saturday’s NCAA D-1 Cross Country Championships.
Running at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky, King started strong, then, perhaps worn down by his heroic work at regionals, faded to the back of the field, finishing 248th.
He was in the top 60 after 2,000 meters, eventually finishing the 10,000 meter course in 34 minutes, 20.8 seconds.
Still way faster than you or me will ever hit.
It was a huge step back from last year, however, when the Coupeville High school grad was 40th in the nation as a junior, earning All-American honors.
While King had a rough day, his U-Dub teammates did well, claiming 8th place in the team battle. They had entered the day ranked #11 in the nation, and finished in 20th place a year ago.
The eighth-place finish tied the second-best performance in Husky mens’ history. The 1989 squad finished 4th at nationals.
Syracuse won the team title, while Oregon’s Edward Cheserek (28:45.8) took the individual title, the third-consecutive year the Duck junior has done so.
The title ties him with Oregon’s Steve Prefontaine and the Washington State duo of Gerry Lindgren and Henry Rono for most career titles. None of those three won three straight years, though.
On the women’s side, the Huskies claimed 10th as a team, with Maddie Meyers rolling in with an eighth place finish in the 6K race.
Molly Seidel of Notre Dame (19:28.6) won the individual title, while New Mexico claimed its first-ever team title.
It was the first time in school history both U-Dub cross country teams finished in the top 10 at the same NCAA Championships.
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