Sports - Local Colleges

POSTED: Thursday, Dec. 04, 2008

COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY: WWU's Welling, Porter earn MVP awards

Two sophomores, Jordan Welling and Sarah Porter, were voted the most valuable player awards for men and women, respectively, by their teammates at the Western Washington University men's and women's cross country awards dinner Tuesday.

Both Welling and Porter received NCAA Division II All-American recognition, helped their respective squads each place 10th at the national championships.

Another All-American, sophomore Blake Medhaug, got the men's most improved award, with freshman Yonas Berhe Seattle/Roosevelt) being the Rookie of the Year and junior Tahoma Khalsa receiving the inspirational award.

Junior Courtney Olsen was the women's most improved runner. Freshman Phoebe Hartnett was the Rookie of the Year and freshman Lauren Briehof was named most inspirational.

Picked as next year's team captains for the men were sophomore All-American Blake Medhaug, redshirt junior Anthony Tomsich and junior Kyle Lampi.

Selected to be the 2009 women's captains were Olsen and sophomore McKinley Williams.