Nov. 22, 2006

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., - UCSB's Lauren Christman and J.D. Krawczyk have been named to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's All-America team, as announced today. This is the first time that Gauchos have garnered All-Americans in the same season in both men's and women's cross country.

Christman (Santa Cruz, CA/Harbor HS) led the Gauchos to a ninth place finish at the NCAA Championships on Monday in Terre Haute, Ind., and in the process became UCSB's first women's cross country All-American. She finished the 6,000 meter course in 21:22 for 32nd place, the highest finish in women's cross country history. Christman, a redshirt-senior has had an unprecedented season for UCSB, also finishing fifth at regionals for the highest ever regional finish for a Gaucho while leading them to a second place region showing.

Krawczyk (Huntington Beach, CA/Marina HS), also a redshirt-senior, earned All-America status after clocking 31:54 on a very difficult and muddy 10,000 course good for 46th place. He led the Gauchos team to a 27th place finish to improve on their pre-race ranking of 28th. This is the second All-American for men's cross country as Krawczyk joins Josh Horton who received the same accolade in 2001. Krawczyk was the teams highest finisher with a seventh place at regionals to lead the team to its second NCAA Championships berth.

Its been a season of firsts for the Gauchos who have garnered for the first time, in order, the Griak Invitational team championship and individual champion, a runner-up finish at the Stanford Invitational, a top 10 national ranking, two fourth place NCAA Pre-National finishes, an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Championships, both teams qualifying for NCAA Championships, a top 10 team finish and now two NCAA All-Americans.