Reaping the honors were juniors Ezra Ellis and David Toomey on the men's team and senior Oni Ogsbury on the women's team. The award goes to juniors and seniors who have a minimum cumulative grade point of 3.5. In addition, male athletes must have completed an 8,000-meter run in a time of 28.30 or less, while female athletes must have a time of 20:30 or less over 5,000 meters.
Ogsbury led the Whitman women's team to its fifth consecutive appearance at the NAIA national championships. In a field of 339 runners at nationals, Ogsbury placed 39th in 18:47, missing All-American honors by just 10 seconds.
Ogsbury, a 1991 graduate of Boulder (Colo.) High School, is majoring in English at Whitman.
Ellis, running for the first time this fall since a severe ankle injury two years ago, gradually regained his past running form and nearly qualified for the national championships as an individual.
Ellis, a 1993 graduate of Ferris High School in Spokane, Wash., is majoring in biology at Whitman.
Toomey, a 1994 graduate of Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa, Calif., competed at nationals two years ago as freshman. He is majoring in economics at Whitman.
A year ago, Whitman juniors Alex Rolfe and Dorothy Metcalf earned All-America Scholar-Athlete awards. Both runners were expected to duplicate that honor this fall before injuries cut short their seasons.
Dave Holden, Whitman College Communications, (509) 527-5902
Email Address: holden@whitman.edu
Keith Jensen, Whitman Cross Country Coach, (509) 527-5263
Email Address: jensenk@whitman.edu