Dec. 1, 2005

BERKELEY, Calif. - California freshman Mark Matusak was named the 2005 Pac-10 Men's Cross Country Newcomer of the Year, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today. Golden Bear senior Giliat Ghebray earned second-team All-Pac-10 recognition.

Matusak, who hails from Torrance, Calif., was the top placing freshman at the Pac-10 Championships, finishing 17th in 24:56. His performance was key in leading Cal to a third-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships, which was its best showing ever at the conference meet. At the NCAA West Regional, Matusak took 21st place (30:53.6), the second-best result of any freshman at the event. Matusak is the first Bear runner to receive Pac-10 Athlete of the Year or Newcomer of the Year honors.

Ghebray led Cal in five of the six competitions he entered in 2005, including an eighth-place finish (24:30) at the Pac-10 Championships. A product of Union City, Calif., Ghebray also paced Cal by grabbing 15th (30:38.2) at the NCAA West Regional and 63rd (30:39.5) in his first-ever appearance at the NCAA Championships.