Bowling Green, Ky. - The Western Kentucky University cross country teams played host to the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships Saturday at Kereiakes Park, where the men and women swept the team titles.  It marked the eighth time in program history that both the Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers hoisted the league trophy in the same year, joining the teams from 1985, 1986, 1987, 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2008.

For the women, today's title extended the Lady Toppers' cross country championship steak to six, and marked the 18th-straight title overall in cross country, indoor, and outdoor track, having won every SBC crown since 2006.

The WKU men picked up the program's first cross country title since 2008, defeating second-place Arkansas-Little Rock by 15 points.  In third was Middle Tennessee, followed by Florida International, UL-Monroe, South Alabama, North Texas, Florida Atlantic, UL-Lafayette, Arkansas State and Troy.

The Hilltoppers had four runners finish in the top-10 to earn all-SBC laurels, led by the runner-up effort of Deus Rwaheru who clocked an 8,000-meter time of 24:27.5.  David Mokone and Peter Okwera were fourth and fifth with times of 24:47.0 and 24:53.1, respectively.  Taking ninth-place to earn his first all-SBC accolade was Kyle Chettleburgh in 25:28.5.  The fifth-place scorer for the Tops was Sean Hurd, who placed 16th in 26:08.1.

It marked the first time since 2003 that the Hilltoppers had four all-SBC cross country performers, when Daniel Roberts, David Altmaier, Kevin Dick and Enda Grandfield helped WKU to the team title.

The Lady Toppers beat out runner-up UNT by 14 points to take the title, while USA was third, followed by, UALR, ASU, FAU, MTSU, FIU, ULM, ULL, and Troy.

For the second time in as many years, Marion Kandie won the women's 5,000-meter race, crossing the line in 17:21.5. Vasity Chemweno picked up all-SBC laurels with a fourth-place time of 18:00.1, while Michelle Finn was eighth in 18:21.2.  Monica Akello placed 16th in 19:01.0, and Anna Reddin was WKU's fifth-finisher, clocking 19:38.0 to finish 31st.

WKU head coach Erik Jenkins was named the SBC Men's Coach of the Year, while Mokone earned SBC Freshman of the Year honors as the top freshman finisher.

WKU will return to action November 12 when they travel to E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park in Louisville for the NCAA Southeast Regional.

WKU Men's Individual Finishes - 8,000m

2. Rwaheru, Deus (24:27.5)

4. Mokone, David (24:47.0)

5. Okwera, Peter (24:53.1)

9. Chettleburgh, Kyle (25:28.5)

16. Hurd, Sean (26:08.1)

36. Austin, Brett (27:37.1)

44. Wallace, Matthew (27:48.5)

56. Taylor, Landon (28:29.2)

Men's Team Finishes

1. WKU, 36

2. UALR, 51

3. MTSU, 64

4. FIU, 126

5. ULM, 149

6. USA, 158

7. UNT, 169

8. FAU, 225

9. ULL, 230

10. ASU, 232

11. Troy, 270