Former Whitehouse runner competes at NCAA nationals
BY JEREMY COTHAM Courtesy UT-Tyler Patriot

NORTHFIELD, Minn. - Former Whitehouse High School cross country product R.J. Cowan helped make history Saturday, Nov. 17, for the University of Texas at Tyler Patriots.

No, he did not win the race, but Cowan and teammate Ben Donnan made the first ever appearance in an NCAA national championship game in school history.

At the NCAA Division III Cross Country Nationals meet Saturday at St. Olaf College, Cowan finished in 100th place with a time of 25:49. Donnan finished five seconds earlier in 84th place.

Throughout the whole day, the tough field of 280 runners battled conditions of 35 degrees, gusty northern winds and some occasional snow flurries.

"I thought both R.J. and Ben did an excellent job running out there today, even though they finished 84th and 100th," said cross country coach Bob Hepler. "That was an extremely tough group of runners out there, some of the best in the nation, and I thought both guys did their best. It is totally different running at the national level."

Up until the national meet, Cowan, Donnan and the rest of the Patriots men's cross country team were dominating opponents.

During the season, Cowan won two meets, including the American Southwest Conference Championship meet. As a team, the Patriots won five meets during the year.

On Nov. 10, at the South/Southeast Regional meet in Williamsburg, Va., Cowan finished in first place overall to win the individual regional championship trophy and his third first-place finish of the season. Donnan finished second overall and the team placed third by a margin of one point.

The team needed first or second to advance to nationals. Instead, Cowan and Donnan both picked up two of the seven individual at-large bids and advanced to nationals, leaving the rest of the team at home wishing they could be there to run.

After winning the regional championship Cowan was named the NCAA Division III South/Southeast Regional Men's Athlete of the Year, the first time a Patriots runner has garnered such an honor.

This is the first season that the Patriots are official members of the NCAA and eligible for the postseason after the four-year provisional period ended before the start of the semester.

Cowan and Donnan, both juniors, highlight an experienced returning class for the 2008 season as the Patriots lose only one senior.

Next season, Hepler said he hopes Cowan, along with Donnan, can both use their experience they got Saturday and lead their team next season to nationals to run for the ultimate goal: a national championship.

For now, Cowan and Donnan will have to live with the accomplishment of making history in the first ever year of postseason eligibility for the Patriots.