K-State Cross Country
has produced hundreds of letterwinners in its long history, including many from all around the world.
Paul Gartner and Kirk Ward were the first letterwinners from K-State Cross Country, and the tradition continues today.
The Kansas State Cross Country team ran its first season as a men’s team in 1928. They finished 5th in the Big Six Conference Championships. K-State added the women’s team in 1975 where they finished 2nd in the Big Eight Championships. Since then the Wildcats have seen top placings among both Big 12 meets and NCAA competition.
The 2006 season was highlighted by the accolades of senior Christian Smith. During the indoor season, Smith won the NCAA mile title, set the collegiate record in the 1000m run, and captured his third consecutive Big 12 title in the 1000m run. During the outdoor season, Smith won his first Big 12 outdoor title in the 800m run and earned his first NCAA outdoor All-American certificate.
Michael Smith enters his 17th year as a member of the coaching staff at K-State and his seventh year at the helm of the men’s and women’s cross country teams in 2010. During Smith’s tenure the Wildcats have won three women’s championships in the Big 12 Conference, earned their highest ever women’s NCAA team finish in cross country (5th) and numerous top 10 NCAA finishes in men’s and women’s track and field.
Mathew Chesang Smith took over the reins of the cross country programs in 2004 and guided Mathew Chesang to one of K-State's most outstanding individual cross country seasons in recent memory. Chesang finished third at the Big 12 championships, second at the Midwest Regional Championships and capped off his senior season with an All-American performance at the NCAA championships.
Chesang's 12th-place finish was the highest NCAA placing for a Wildcat male since Jerome Howe's 10th place finish in 1971, and the first Wildcat men's cross country All-American since 1992.
Beverly Ramos In 2009, Smith guided Beverly Ramos to one of the best women's individual seasons in recent memory as Ramos received All-America honors. Ramos tallied two wins and also placed sixth at the Pre-NCAA Invitational, Big 12 Championship and NCAA Midwest Regional.
Her finish at 33rd at the NCAA Championship made her the school's ninth All-American in cross country.
Ramos helped guide the team to another sixth-place finish at the 2008 Big 12 Championship and ninth at the Midwest Regional.
Christian Smith During the 2006 season Christian Smith won the indoor NCAA mile title, set the collegiate record in the 1000M run (2:19.57) and captured his third consecutive Big 12 title in the 1000M run. During the outdoor campaign Smith won his first Big 12 outdoor title in the 800M run and earned his first NCAA outdoor All-American certificate.
Smith's season continued into the summer where he finished fifth at the USATF Championships in the 1500M run and then went to Europe where he ran 1:44.86 for 800 meters and 3:38.10 for 1500 meters, erasing two Wildcat legends from the record books in Ken Swenson and Jerome Howe.
Awards & Achievements
All-Americans
MEN
Mathew Chesang 2004
Jerome Howe 1970, 1971
Francis O'Neill 1992
Jeff Schemmel 1975
Todd Trask 1991
David Warders 1990
WOMEN
Janet Haskin 1989
Korene Hinds 1998, 1999, 2000
Amy Mortimer 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Beverly Ramos 2009
Jacque Struckhoff 1984, 1985
Joyce Urish 1974
Chris Vanatta 1986
Annie Wetterhus 1999
Cindy Worcester 1977
All-Big 12 Team
Ryan Clive-Smith 1996
Amanda Crouse-Behnke 1998
Korene Hinds 1998, 1999, 2000
Brandon Jessop 1999
Amy Mortimer 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Shadrack Kimeli 2000, 2001
Amanda Crouse-Behnke 2001
Mathew Chesang 2002, 2003, 2004
Stefanie Murer 2003
Liliani Mendez 2006, 2007
Beverly Ramos 2008, 2009
Sydney Messick 2009
Big 12 Newcomer of the Year
Amy Mortimer 1999
Shadrack Kimeli 2000
Big 12 Coach of the Year
Randy Cole 1998
Region Individual Champion
Amy Mortimer 1999
Amy Mortimer 2000
Shadrack Kimeli 2001
Amy Mortimer 2002
Region Coach of the Year
Randy Cole 1998
Randy Cole 1999
Randy Cole 2000
Big 12 Runner of the Week
Brandon Jessop 10/20/98
Annie Wetterhus 10/20/98
Jean-Paul Niyongabo 9/9/99
Amy Mortimer 9/18/99
Shadrack Kimeli 9/6/00
Amy Mortimer 9/6/00
Amy Mortimer 9/4/01
Shadrack Kimeli 9/4/01
Liliani Mendez 9/13/06
Liliani Mendez 9/27/06
Beverly Ramos 9/18/07
Martina Tresch 9/8/09
Armando Del Valle 9/8/09
Beverly Ramos 9/22/09
Verizon Academic All-Americans
Anne Stadler 1986 (1st team, track)
Jacque Struckhoff 1986 (1st team)
Anne Stadler 1987 (1st team)
Jacque Struckhoff 1987 (1st team)
Anne Stadler 1988 (1st team)
Jacque Struckhoff 1988 (1st team)
Amy Dryer 1989 (2nd team, track)
Annie Wetterhus 1999 (2nd team)
Annie Wetterhus 2000 (1st team, XC)
Amy Mortimer 2000 (2nd team, XC)
Amanda Crouse-Behnke 2000 (3rd team, XC)
Trisha Culbertson 2004 (3rd team, Track/XC)
*cross country honors combined with track in 2001
Kansas State University is a volunteer member of
the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
and the Big 12 Conference. We are committed to abiding
by all rules and regulations of these bodies. The NCAA
governs the actions of our coaches and student-athletes,
and has explicit guidelines that regulate the actions
of our program. For further information on the K-State Athletics
Compliance office, please visit their main
page.
Smith took over the reins of the cross country programs in 2004 and guided Mathew Chesang to one of K-State's most outstanding individual cross country seasons in recent memory. Chesang finished third at the Big 12 championships, second at the Midwest Regional Championships and capped off his senior season with an All-American performance at the NCAA championships.
In 2009, Smith guided Beverly Ramos to one of the best women's individual seasons in recent memory as Ramos received All-America honors. Ramos tallied two wins and also placed sixth at the Pre-NCAA Invitational, Big 12 Championship and NCAA Midwest Regional. 
During the 2006 season Christian Smith won the indoor NCAA mile title, set the collegiate record in the 1000M run (2:19.57) and captured his third consecutive Big 12 title in the 1000M run. During the outdoor campaign Smith won his first Big 12 outdoor title in the 800M run and earned his first NCAA outdoor All-American certificate. 
Janet Haskin 1989
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