McKENDREE'S ELIAS MELLY TO RUN IN NAIA CROSS COUNTRY NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Elias Melly

(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 19)—McKendree University sophomore Elias Melly has qualified to compete in the NAIA Men’s Cross Country National Championship, which will be held on Saturday in Kenosha, Wis.

 

Melly (Eldoret, Kenya) was one of four American Midwest Conference runners to qualify as an individual for the national meet. Melly made his way into the national field by finishing second in the American Midwest Conference meet, which was held back on Nov. 7 in St. Louis. Melly earned All-Conference honors by covering the eight-kilometer course in a time of 26:25.90.

 

In addition to receiving All-Conference accolades, Melly was named the AMC Newcomer of the Year for the 2008 season. The honor is given to the league’s top transfer runner.

 

As a team, the McKendree men’s cross country team finished second at the AMC meet, which also served as a national qualifier in a grouping with the Midlands Collegiate Conference and the Frontier Conference. Along with Melly, three other AMC runners will race in Wisconsin on Saturday: Brent Almand from William Woods University, Phil Guidry from William Woods University and Kenneth Kibii from Missouri Baptist University.

 

-McK-