Nov. 25, 2002

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Baylor junior cross country runner Kyle King earned a bid to the NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships, which were held today at the LaVern Gibson Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind. Indiana State hosted the event.

King, a native of Sulphur Springs, Texas, ran a season-best 30:57.8 in the 10,000-meter race to finish 79th out of 251 runners. Colorado's Jorge Torres won the event with a time of 29:04.7.

King qualified for the national meet by finishing 17th with a time of 31:14 in the 10,000-meter run at the NCAA South Central Regional, held on Nov. 16 at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco.

A transfer from North Texas, King paced the Baylor squad in three races this season. Along with being the first Bear to finish at the regional meet, he led the squad at the Big 12 Championships finishing 17th with a time of 24:42 on the 8,000-meter course. He also recorded an 8,000-meter time of 27:05 to finish 17th at the Great American Cross Country Festival in September. The Baylor squad competed at the LaVern Gibson Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center earlier this season, taking 16th in the White Race at the Asics/Pacesetter Pre-National meet. In that race, King finished 68th overall with a time of 25:01 on the 8,000-meter course.

King is the first Baylor male to run at the NCAA Championships since the team qualified for the event in 1994. Brian Keim was the top individual finisher that year, taking 52nd place with a time of 31:39.20.