Terre Haute, saw a great day for this NCAA Cross Country Championships 2009.  Along with some great races, it also came along with it’s own fair share of drama.

Liberty’s Sam Chelanga dominated the men’s race, with only the course record as a challenge. His biggest competitor Chris Derrick fell behind a sizeable lead by the Kenyan, even after holding back in the first 1k. He continued his lead and won the new course in a record time of 28:41. Leaving Derrick, David McNeil from Nothern Arizona and Mississippi’s Barnabus Kirui in his wake.

He broke last years mark set by Galen Rupp by 22 seconds. With McNeil coming in second place and Derrick taking the stand in third.

Oklahoma State placed three in the top 15 leading the championships. Prior to the day is was supposed to be Stanford versus Oklahoma State, but this isn’t how it panned out. It seeming that Stanford just not able to handle the pressure. Oregan ran well, taking a runner- up trophy, with their Sophomore Luke Puskedra taking a 21st place finish. Alabama’s Tyson David came in 22nd. In tenth place overall Stanford after coming in to the competition as strong favourites. Finished on 227 points behind Oklahoma State.

The women’s race was not a good one for 2008 Olympian Jenny Barringer of Colorado, who suffered a collapse leaving her without a collegiate cross country title.

She set out well being trailed by Susan Kuijken from Florida State, But just after the 2k mark she slumped, falling behind Kuijken. Later in the race cameras even capturing Barringer falling to the ground. Although getting back up she finished in XX place.

Angela Bizzarri of Illinois and Kendra Schaff of Washington were the leaders who fought out the race to it’s finality with Bizzarri, taking out her first NCAA cross country title with her amazing last 400m. Sophomore Schaff took the runner up title and Kuijken crossing the line 3rd.

Barringer said about her performance, “I didn’t feel so good about halfway in to it and every time I tried to push it I had to stop.”

The Villanova Wildcats took the team side’s national championship, from the defending champions, and #1 ranked, Washington Huskies. The Wildcats led with 6th-place finisher Amanda Marino and 13th-place finisher Sheila Reid. Florida State made runner-up position, led by Kuijken’s third-place run. The Huskies only made it to a third-place finish, after coming to the comp as favourites.

In the last three minutes in the final of Mississippi and  No 10 LSU’s game on Saturday that there was a lot of confusion even for the players.

This was nothing compared to the LSU sidelines confusion as valuable seconds were passed off the clock with less than a minute left on the game.

An important 17 seconds were lost by the Tigers, when they were unable to decide what plays to call, and tried for a timeout but were not allowed it. LSU failed to have a backup plan when they went for the end zone on the games last play and were short at the Ole Miss 6 with one second to play.

LSU coach Les Mills said: ” I can only tell you that the management at the back end of the game was the issue,” also saying:  ” It’s my fault that we didn’t finish first in that game”.

When asked by reporters Miles said he wasn’t sure what coach decided to try to spike the ball before the clock restart rather than the original field goal, but did say he would have to find out. Ole Miss earned its second straight win against the Tigers and the first home one since 1998, with Jordan Jefferson and the tigers never lining up anyway.

Nutt has had a won over LSU four times running with Ole Miss and Arkansas never even seeing such things.

“You were holding your breath every play,” he  was reported to say.

This was the first ever time Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3 Southern Conference) won over LSU(8-3, 4-3) in consecutive seasons since 1997-99.

This win also allows them in the SEC West, at inside track to second place, which could mean much better chances at owl spots when invitations are delivered.

Miles also said : “The clock ran down, timeouts were being called verbally and I didn’t relate that to the official apparently and that was the mistake.”

Jefferson agreed with the confusion : “I know there was a lot of confusion on the sideline,” who rallied the Tigers with 120 yards passing and a touchdown in the fourth quarter. “Nobody knew what to do.”

Ole Miss fans ran to celebrate on field with the Rebels while several LSU players dropped their helmets to the field.

Vaughn said he knew exactly what was going on as the Tigers foundered with their final decision.

He said: “You have to have a plan,”  “I’m looking at the ref waiting for him to call the play. As soon as I hear the whistle and the clock went to zero, I threw my helmet and ran off. It felt good to beat LSU.”