Kalmer Named SEC Athlete of the Week

FAYETTEVILLE – Freshman Christine Kalmer was named the Southeastern Conference’s Female cross country athlete of the week on Wednesday afternoon following her 10th-place finish at the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival last Saturday afternoon.

Kalmer was the first Lady Razorback to cross the finish line for the 12th-ranked Arkansas team, the third time she has accomplished that feat in four races. Competing in her first career 6,000-meter cross country race, Kalmer clocked the 30th fastest time in Lady Razorback history for the distance and paced Arkansas to a second place team finish.

“Christine has been doing it for us all season,” Arkansas head coach Lance Harter said. “I am very proud of her and what she has been able to accomplish despite the differences in culture and weather between South Africa and Arkansas. She is a special athlete that I believe will only get better as we move along this year.”

Kalmer opened the 2005 season with a her first collegiate victory in her first competition at the Missouri Southern Dual to become the first Lady Razorback since 2001 to accomplish the task. Her 5,000-meter time of 17:10 still ranks as number three on the SEC lists for that distance. Her .911 winning percentage is third best among Lady Razorback athletes this season and her 556 wins are just behind redshirt freshman Dacia Barr (561) for the team lead.

Following the Chile Pepper, the Lady Razorbacks have a weekend off before they travel to Columbia, S.C., to take on the rest of the SEC at the annual conference championships on Saturday, Oct. 29. For more information about Lady Razorback cross country or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to www.ladybacks.com.