Nov. 14, 2005

Houston, Texas - - University of Houston senior cross-country star Sesar Figueroa has qualified to compete as an individual runner in the NCAA National Cross-Country Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. on Monday, November 2.

Figueroa qualified for the NCAA Championships and earned All-Regional honors after finishing among the Top 11 runners at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships after completing the 10-kilometer course in 31:26.15.

This marks the first time Figueroa has qualified to compete in the NCAA Championships, and he is the first Cougar to accomplish the feat since 2002, when Mike Olague qualified for the second time in his career.

A three-time All-Conference USA selection, Figueroa earned Second-Team All-Conference USA honors in 2005, registering his best finish at the C-USA Championships with a sixth-place time of 24:28.14.

A native of Baytown, Texas, Figueroa just missed earning All-Regional honors during his junior campaign when he led the Cougars to a fourth-place team finish. He was Houston's top runner in the meet, finishing in 19th place with a time of 31:03.

He was named the 2004 Conference USA Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Year after helping the Cougars win the C-USA championship, the first time Houston has won a conference cross country title in 45 years.