HOUSTON -- For the first time since the inception of Conference USA five years ago, the league will crown a new indoor champion. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte held off a furious last-day challenge from the four-time conference champion, Houston Cougars, to nail down its first Conference USA Indoor Track and Field championship, which concluded today in the Bill Yeoman Fieldhouse on the campus of the University of Houston.

Charlotte finally finished off the Cougars with an impressive performance in the 3,000 meters-the second to last event of the day. The 49ers placed second, fourth and eighth, while the Cougars came within two seconds of one point in the eighth-place slot. The Cougars last hope for its fifth straight title came to an end in the 4x400-meter relay, finishing second to Memphis, while Charlotte took third. The 49ers edged out the Cougars in points, 148-143.

Charlotte head coach David Hall was unanimously selected as Conference USA Coach of the Year for leading the 49ers to the upset of the Cougars. His distance runner extraordinaire, Kenneth Svendsen, took the Athlete of the Year award after winning the 5,000 meters, finishing second in the mile (4:13.35) and the 3,000 meters (8:25.46) and anchoring the distance medley squad that finished fourth.

Houston freshman Juan Cardenas took home the C-USA Freshman of the Year award-the second straight year a Cougar has been so honored (Robert Foster in 2000). Cardenas kept the Cougars' last ditch effort alive with his impressive first-place finish in the 800 meters.

The Cougars had individual championships from Greg Christie in the 60-meter hurdles, Foster in the 200 meters, Jeff Mueller in the high jump and Andrew Martin in the pole vault. As a matter of fact, it was the Cougars' effort in the pole vault that shot them temporarily past the 49ers late in the event. Not only did Martin capture the pole vault, the Cougars grabbed 28 points in the event, as Bill Collins placed second, Alex Cantu took third and Alex Herrmann grabbed fifth.

Memphis' Larry Crawford staked his claim as the league's fastest runner, capturing the 60 meters in a time of 6.73. Memphis also grabbed both the distance medley and mile relay titles, and Stefan Matschiner was the individual champion in the 5,000 meters, enabling the Tigers to take third behind Houston.

2001 Conference USA Men's Indoor Track and Field
Championship Results
Hosted by Houston
Final Results-Team Standings

Place   School  	Score

1.      Charlotte       148

2.      Houston 	143

3.      Memphis 	127

4.      DePaul  	70

5.      Marquette       66

6.      Tulane  	62



Event   		Champion        		Time/Distance

60M Dash        	Larry Crawford, Memphis 	6.73

60M Hurdles     	Greg Christie, Houston  	7.96

200M Dash       	Robert Foster, Houston  	21.35

400M Dash       	Adam Evans, Charlotte   	48.69

800M Dash       	Juan Cardenas, Houston  	1:55.05

Mile Run        	Matt Plano, DePaul      	4:13.30

3000M Run       	Stefan Matschiner, Memphis      8:25.46

5000M Run       	Kenneth Svendsen, Charlotte     14:31.46

4X400M Relay    	Memphis 			3:17.26

Distance Medley Relay   Memphis 			10:12.02

High Jump       	Jeff Mueller, Houston   	2.17m/7-1.50

Long Jump       	Will Montgomery, Charlotte      7.50m/24-7.25

Triple Jump     	Carl White, Tulane      	15.61m/51-2.75

Shot Put        	Frank Guzman, DePaul    	17.67m/57-11.75

35-lb. Weight Throw     Matt Rausch, Charlotte  	18.54m/60-10

Pole Vault      	Andrew Martin, Houston  	4.75m/15-7



Coach of the Year-David Hall, Charlotte

Athlete of the Year-Kenneth Svendsen, Charlotte

Freshman of the Year-Juan Cardenas, Houston