Article Contributed on: 8/27/2009 9:12:58 AM
Zywicki and Laws tabbed Pre-Season All-RMAC;
CSM men ranked eighth in USTFCCCA National Rankings
GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines' Ben Zywicki and Sydney Laws were named Pre-Season All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as announced by the conference this afternoon. The CSM men's cross country team is ranked eighth in the Pre-Season USTFCCCA (U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association) Division II National Rankings.
Zywicki, a junior from Colorado Springs, Colo. (Rampart H.S.), became a two-time All-American in cross country in 2008 after finishing 22nd at the National Championships. At Regionals, Zywicki placed eighth overall and garnered Second Team All-RMAC accolades with an 11th-place finish at the RMAC Championships. Zywicki also won both the UNK Open and the CU Time Trial.
Laws, a senior from Arvada, Colo. (Arvada West H.S.), was CSM's top finisher for the women's team at the 2008 NCAA Division II Central Region Championships (22nd). Laws earned Third Team All-RMAC honors at the RMAC Championships with an 18th-place finish. For her efforts in the classroom, she was named First Team Academic All-RMAC during the 2008 cross country season.
The Oredigger men, who were picked to finish third in the RMAC Pre-Season Poll, are ranked eighth in the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II National Rankings. During the 2008 cross country season, the CSM men posted their fourth consecutive top-ten finish (ninth place) at the NCAA Division II National Championships.
The CSM women were picked to finish sixth in the RMAC Pre-Season Poll. The Oredigger women placed sixth at the 2008 RMAC Cross Country Championships and finished 10th at the NCAA Division II Central Region Championships.
To begin the 2009 season the Orediggers will compete in the UCCS Rust Buster Invite hosted by UC-Colorado Springs at Monument Valley Park on Friday, September 4th.
For more information about Colorado School of Mines Athletics, please contact Assistant Sports Information Director Katie Simons at ksimons@mines.edu.
Katie Simons
Colorado School of Mines
Assistant Sports Information Director