Dec. 6, 2005

VANCOUVER, BC - Former Wildcats Carmen Douma-Hussar, Ryan Hayden, and Kirsty Smith competed for their native Canada at the 2005 Canadian National Cross Country Championships in British Columbia on Saturday, December 3rd.

Douma-Hussar, a native of Cambridge, Ontario claimed the senior women's 6000m title in a time of 20:13. The win grants Douma-Hussar an automatic ticket to the 2006 IAAF World Cross-Country Championships to be held on the 2nd of April in Fukuoka, Japan.

Douma-Hussar, who holds the Canadian national record in the 1500m (4:08.18), graduated from Villanova in 2000 as a nine-time All-American. Over the course of her collegiate career, she garnered three NCAA individual titles and 15 Big East Conference individual titles.

Also in the senior women's race was Kirsty Smith, class of '05. Smith completed the course in 21:37 to place an impressive 15th. In the senior men's 10,000m race, Villanova graduate Ryan Hayden placed 16th in a time of 31:25.

Both Smith and Hayden are in a position to join Douma-Hussar in Fakuota, Japan this coming April. The national team selection committee will evaluate their recent performances at the Canadian National Cross Country Championships as well as their competitive record in determining their selection to the Canadian world team.

For complete results, visit www.bcathletics.org.