TERRE HAUTE — An 11-time All-American prior to Monday, Liberty University senior Josh McDougal just hadn’t been able to get the job done since arriving on the NCAA cross country championship scene in 2004 with a 13-place finish as a freshman.
McDougal was fourth as a sophomore, and then last year’s disappointing 27th-place mark in muddy conditions provided more fuel for his fire.
McDougal finally claimed the elusive title Monday at LaVern Gibson Championship Course.
Oregon’s Galen Rupp almost took away the opportunity though. Both men were fighting each other and themselves down the final straightaway before McDougal pulled ahead by just enough.
McDougal broke a few strides ahead and collapsed as he crossed the finish line one second ahead of Rupp in a time of 29:22.4.
“I was pretty much flat out coming into the home stretch,” McDougal said after recovering from his collapse. “I think we probably ran right around 14 minutes for that last 5K … that was into the wind and that’s not fast conditions. It was just flat out in the last mile-and-a-half almost. That last 50 meters I almost fell over my legs were so heavy.”
The New York state native who was home schooled and attends the small Baptist university in Lynchburg, Va., used a a verse from the book of Proverbs in the Bible to explain his ability to win in his last chance.
“To serve the Lord teaches a man wisdom and humility comes before honor,” he said, quoting the scripture.
“And this is the only race I haven’t won.”
McDougal made his final move and gradually pulled away.
“I was just exhausted. Even after I made that move on Galen with 100 meters to go, I was barely lifting my legs. I was expecting [Rupp] to go around me at any moment.”
Rupp said he lost to a worthy competitor and enjoyed the race, until he had pushed his body to the limit.
“I think we were both dying. We were both feeling it. I was just telling myself to drive,” he said. “I might have went a little bit too early. He ran an unbelievable race. He’s the champ.”
“Coming back up on him was a big boost mentally,” Rupp added. “Right when I caught him, I tried to pick it up and bury him there. He did a great job of hanging on.”
Look for McDougal and Rupp to possibly have more battles in the future as they vie to represent the United States in upcoming Olympic competition.
“He trains 130 miles a week so he could probably run a good marathon,” Liberty coach Brandt Tolsma said of McDougal. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see him run a marathon next fall. He’s planning right now to stay in Lynchburg and train with his brother [Liberty junior] Jordan [McDougal].”
Lopez Lomong of Northern Arizona took third after being among a group of more than 20 runners within a few seconds of the lead at the race’s halfway point.
The Iona Gaels, a team with runners hailing from the United States as well as Kenya and Uganda, placed second with their top five ranging from 14th to 45th.
College
Liberty senior McDougal holds off Oregon’s Rupp by one second in epic race for men's cross country individual title
- College
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Bubble intact: ISU headed to NCAA baseball tournament
Forty-eight teams had been chosen for the NCAA Baseball Tournament Selection Show and things were getting antsy in the Indiana State clubhouse on Monday.
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Indiana State’s baseball fate to be decided today
At high noon today, the train arrives for the Indiana State baseball team.
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ISU hurdler Swift becomes 5th Sycamore to make NCAAs
Indiana State sophomore Greggmar Swift became the second member of the men’s team and the fifth Sycamore overall to qualify for the 2012 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Finals at Drake University, placing second in the second heat of the 110 meter hurdle quarterfinals Saturday at the NCAA East Preliminary Round.
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Lou Watson, former IU player and coach, dies at 88
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METRO ROUNDUP: ISU’s Pounds qualifies for NCAA Championships
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“Both were very focused and had great starts,” ISU women’s track coach Angela Martin said. “They did just what we wanted them to … be relaxed, have fun, and do what they have already done this season.” -
Blanked by Blach: ISU drops MVC tournament opener
Things went wrong for Indiana State’s baseball team in its Missouri Valley Conference Tournament opener against Creighton, but one statistic glowed white-hot.
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MVP of the MVC: Lucas first Sycamore to earn Player of Year honors
Indiana State’s baseball team got the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season hardware last week and it’s hoping to grab more gold this week in its quest to win the Missouri Valley Conference baseball tournament.
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Sycamores try to catch Missouri Valley Conference tourney vibe
A Missouri Valley Conference championship season has bloomed for the Indiana State baseball team in 2012. The Sycamores have been dominant through most of the season.
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: Subtle switch has fostered MVC baseball parity
When Indiana State was crowned as the regular season baseball champion of the Missouri Valley Conference last Thursday, it marked the fifth different regular season champion the league has had since 2005.
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ISU claims Missouri Valley Conference baseball title
Entering Thursday’s game against Indiana State, Missouri State starting pitcher Nick Petree had gone 72 1/3 innings without surrendering an earned run, an unofficial NCAA record.
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ISU baseball in familiar territory with MVC title on line
First place is there is for the taking for Indiana State's baseball team this weekend … so is redemption.
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A time for firsts: SMWC seniors have national title aspirations
Even though St. Mary-of-the-Woods College has won eight national titles in softball in the last 16 years, seniors Sara Goelz and Jessica Jonas are among the many current Woods players who have not been part of a national championship team.
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Win over SIU puts Sycamores in first place
As Indiana State’s baseball team tried to climb to the top of the Missouri Valley Conference mountain on Saturday against Southern Illinois, it stood to reason that the air would get more rarefied as they neared the summit.
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Major Clay takes fourth straight MVC high jump title
For the fourth straight year, Indiana State’s Major Clay will climb to the top spot on the awards podium as the Sycamore captured his fourth high jump championship at the 2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference outdoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday.
The competition was conducted at Cessna Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University. -
Edgewood takes Western Indiana Conference golf crown
Edgewood and senior Jackson Cowden took top honors in the Western Indiana Conference boys golf championship played Saturday at Idle Creek.
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North grad wins 10,000 at Big Ten Championships
Terre Haute North alumnus Zach Mayhew ran a Dan McClimon track record at the University of Wisconsin to win the 10,000 meters at the Big Ten Championships.
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Top-seeded Rose-Hulman falls in opener of HCAC Tournament
A couple of Rose-Hulman streaks came to an end Thursday night in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball tournament action, but the home-team jinx looks to be still alive.
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ISU's Ort getting hot at right time for Sycamores
Indiana State’s baseball game notes list game-by-game performance for each Sycamore batter. It lists them box score-style: at-bats, runs, hits and RBI.
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Terre Haute native getting national attention as freshman for Kentucky
On a day where Terre Haute native A.J. Reed returned home to continue his college career, he got plenty of time to be on-stage.
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Top seed, home field doesn’t guarantee Rose success
On the surface, serving as host for the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball tournament would appear to benefit Rose-Hulman’s No. 1-seeded team, which finished the regular season 27-12 overall and 18-6 in the conference.
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Metro roundup: ISU’s Lucas honored by Missouri Valley again
For the fifth time in the last nine weeks, Indiana State junior catcher Jeremy Lucas has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week.
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Sycamores top Shockers in 10 innings in MVC series opener
If free baseball is what you want, Indiana State has what you need. For the sixth time in the span of a month, ISU’s series opener went extra innings.
- METRO ROUNDUP: Rose baseball team takes first game of doubleheader
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ISU starting pitchers in rhythm heading into Wichita State series
“Gettting into rhythm” is such an oft-used cliché in sports that it’s hard to hear the term and fight the urge to not let it enter one ear and escape another.
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ISU goes to well too many times
Perhaps the most unnecessary pursuit for a Wabash Valley sports fan during the now-completed weekend was watching the first few innings of nonconference college baseball between Indiana State and visiting Nebraska-Omaha.
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ISU baseball living on the edge
Indiana State’s baseball team got its game against Nebraska-Omaha in Saturday between morning and evening rain showers. But in the wake of another walk-off 3-2 victory against the struggling Mavericks, one might be forgiven if they felt the Sycamores are walking between the raindrops a bit.
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PREP ROUNDUP: North Central baseball improves to 10-2
North Central lost a 7-1 game to Vincennes Rivet, and then Nolan Kinnett pitched the Thunderbirds to victory, adding a double and three RBIs against Riverton Parke in a pair of high school baseball games on Saturday.
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