Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Vic Zwolak: Villanova's Only Individual Male XC Champion


Despite NCAA team titles in 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1970, to say nothing of numerous team top-ten finishes and dozens of All-Americans since then, only one Villanova male harrier has ever won the NCAA cross country individual title. Vic Zwolak won that title in 1963, a year when the Villanova men finished 9th in the team competition (going 1-23-57-59-87-(112)-(117)). Zwolak led the 4-mile race from start to finish: he was in first place at 1 mile (4:34), 2 miles (9:39), and 3 miles (14:46), before ultimately winning the race in 19:35. Zwolak also won two NCAA titles (1963 and 1964) in the 3000 meter steeplechase.

Villanova Running highlighted Zwolak previously HERE.

Here are the top finishers in that 1963 cross country national championship race:
FINAL RESULTS

Twenty-fifth Annual National Collegiate Athletic Association University Division
Cross Country Championships held at Michigan State University, East Lansing, on
Tuesday, November 26, 1963, at 11:30 a.m.

 l.  Victor Zwolak            Villanova          19:35 
 2.  John Camien              Kansas State       19:38
 3.  Jeffrey M. Fishback      San Jose State     19:48
 4.  Geoff Walker             Houston            19:53
 5.  Danny  L . Murphy        San Jose State     19:56
 6.  G. Douglas Brown         Montana State      19:59
 7.  Richard A. Schramm       Miami              20:04
 8.  Ben F. Tucker            San Jose State     20:06
 9.  Arthur Scott             Idaho State        20:07
10.  Richard Sharkey          Michigan State     20:08
11.  Clayton Steinke          Oregon             20:09
12.  Walter Hewlett           Harvard            20:10
13.  Bill Clark               Notre Dame         20:11
l4.  Ken Moore                Oregon             20:14
15.  David  Highton           Colorado           20:16
16.  Frank Carver             Notre Dame         20:19
l7.  Jack Bacheler            Miami              20:20
18.  Herman E. Gurule         San Jose State     20:21
19.  Ralph A. Lingle          Missouri           20:23
20.  William J. Straub        Army               20:25

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