MIKE MESINGER/Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA senior Tara Chaplin runs at Randolph Park earlier this year. Chaplin took home an NCAA title Monday, the second in Arizona history.

The UA women's cross-country team had only one NCAA Individual Champion in program history - until senior Tara Chaplin captured the national cross-country title Monday, that is.

Chaplin beat Georgia Tech's Renee Metivier by seven seconds in Greenville, S.C. to take the title.

While the UA women finished strong with a fourth-place finish, the men's team finished a disappointing 21st of 31 teams.

Chaplin ran the 6,000-meter course in 20 minutes, 24 seconds and set a new record for the Furman University course.

"That was pretty exciting," head coach Dave Murray said. "She had fire in her eyes. She really worked for the first 4,000 meters. She made the girls behind her catch up."

Murray also praised his entire women's team for the effort it showed in South Carolina.

"I am extremely pleased with the individual and team finish," Murray said. "Fourth place at the national championships is a big deal and a great accomplishment."

In addition to winning a championship, Chaplin and sophomore Beth Hoge were named All-Americans.

As a team, all of the Wildcats finished within a two-minute timeframe. Hoge finished 32nd; senior Abby Peters placed 55th; senior Kim Bates was 77th, and senior Jennifer Burns placed 82nd. Senior Erin Doherty and junior Nicole Gurnicz finished not far behind.

The women avenged their loss to Stanford at the West Regional earlier this month, topping the Cardinal by 12 points. However, Brigham Young University's women captured the team title.

The UA men's team suffered a setback within the first 100 meters of their 10,000-meter race on Monday. Junior Kyle Goklish stepped in a hole on the course, jarring his back and spraining his ankle. Despite the pain, Goklish finished the race.

Coach Murray said that if the junior - who is normally the team's No. 2 runner - had not been injured, the team would have likely placed in the top 15.

"I give him a lot of credit for his fortitude to run through the pain," Murray said.