BATON ROUGE — LSU’s Jimmy Wiggins was named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Male Cross Country Runner of the Year and Katie Denton was honored as the Female Runner of the Year it was announced Monday afternoon by the LSWA.
Sophomore Michelle Hymel was also recognized by the organization, earning All-Louisiana honors for the first time in her career.
Wiggins, a junior from Covington, La., produced his finest cross country season to date, earning all-region honors after recording a 16th-place finish at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships in Waco, Texas. He was the Tigers’ top performer throughout the season, recording four top-20 finishes, including his first career win at the LSU Invitational.
A two-time SEC Athlete of the Week selection, Wiggins also posted the Tigers’ top times in both the 8K (25:25) and the 10K (30:50.82) in 2003.
Denton also posted an impressive junior campaign, pacing the Lady Tiger squad in each of the seven races in which she participated. The Baton Rouge native turned in her best race of the season at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships, finishing the course with a season-best 6K time of 22:40.
Denton was also selected as the SEC’s Athlete of the Week after recording a season-best fifth-place finish at the LSU Invitational.
Hymel, the only sophomore named to the women’s all-Louisiana cross country team, was the Lady Tigers second-place finisher in seven races this season, recording a season best ninth-place finish at the LSU Invitational.
2003 LSWA All-Louisiana Men’s Cross Country Team
Jimmy Wiggins, LSU, Jr., Covington, La.
Mike Gulotta, Loyola, Sr., Chalmette, La.
Asbel Ngetich, SE Louisiana, So., Kapsabert, Kenya
Phillip Aagaard, Tulane, Jr., Linkoping, Sweden
Kris Gilmore, McNeese State, Sr., Beaumont, Texas
Noah Murgor, Northwestern State, Sr., Kasaret, Kenya
Runner of the Year: Jimmy Wiggins, LSU
Freshman of the Year: Tyler Chapman, Tulane
2003 LSWA All-Louisiana Women’s Cross Country Team
Katie Denton, LSU, Jr., Baton Rouge, La.
Michelle Hymel, LSU, So., LaPlace, La.
Bessie Hatch, Tulane, Fr., Ojai, Calif.
Natalie Gillis, UL-Lafayette, Sr., Prairieville, La.
Natalie Sargent, Loyola, Jr., Tampa, Fla.
Helen Kibby, McNeese State, Jr., New Plymouth, New Zealand
Lisa Green, Tulane, Jr., Marietta, Ga.
Runner of the Year: Katie Denton, LSU
Freshman of the Year: Bessie Hatch, Tulane
Coach of the Year: Al Seither, Loyola