Hall of Fame
The 1999 Malone women’s cross country team is the second inductee into the Malone University Athletics Hall of Fame under the Pioneer Championship Award banner.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the NAIA National Championship squad. The 1999 team is the first women’s program in school history to win an NAIA National Championship and the second NAIA title in school history, the first being the 1972 men’s cross country championship. 27 years later, then-Malone College and head coach Jack Hazen were on top of the NAIA once again.
The NAIA National Championships took place on November 20 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The Pioneers were sharp from the start and cruised to a victory by 77 points over second-place Spring Arbor. The team featured four NAIA All-Americans, including Everlyne Lagat, Julie (Harrison) Varner, Maria Tsirba and Kris Owens. Lagat led the way with a third-place finish in the 5k race at 17:44.
Varner’s All-American award marked the fourth in her career. She became the first woman to earn four NAIA All-American awards in a single sport in school history and was the third student-athlete at Malone to secure four All-Americans.
Prior to their appearance at the NAIA National Championships, the Pioneers were NCCAA National Champions and American Mideast Conference champions in 1999 to complete a three-peat in each of those organizations. Lagat was the NCCAA Individual National Champion with a time of 17:49 at the event in Yellow Springs, Ohio and was AMC Individual Champion. Malone’s team featured six NCCAA All-Americans, including Lagat, Varner, Owens, Missy Almond, Tsirba and Jen Wollam.
Head Coach Jack Hazen was named NCCAA National Coach of the Year as well as AMC Coach of the Year for both the men’s and women’s teams in 1999. He led the Pioneer cross country teams to their best combined NAIA finishes to date thanks to the men’s team placing third nationally.
Varner, Almond, Chrissie Jeren and Becca Haver were selected as NAIA All-American Scholars and NCCAA Academic All-Americans for their efforts on the course and in the classroom.
The 1999 women’s cross country team included:
Rebecca Beery
Ann Dunbar
Kathi Eddins
Angela Gately
Missy Graham
Jeni Griffin
Everlyn Lagat
Julie (Harrison) Varner
Becca Haver
Chrissie Jeren
Angela Kubick
Kris Owens
Maria Tsirba
Jen Webber
Jen Wollam
