Flames Feature: The Josh McDougal Story

Flames Feature: The Golden Charm

2007 Cross Country (Sr.): Won all five of his races, including the first NCAA national title of his career … became Liberty’s second NCAA Division I national champion on Nov. 19, clocking a 29:22.4 to hold off Oregon’s Galen Rupp … the All-America honor was his 12th … named USTFCCCA’s NCAA Division I Men’s Athlete of the Year … became the 10th man in NCAA cross country history to win four-consecutive conference titles … broke the Pre-Nationals 8K course record (22:56.4) on his way to his third-straight meet victory … finished his Liberty career having won 23-of-27 cross country races.

2007 (Jr.): Captured five All-America awards (cross country, two indoor track, two outdoor track) … repeated as the Big South Howard Bagwell Male Student-Athlete of the Year … Big South Men’s Track & Field Athlete of the Year … 10-time Big South Male Athlete of the Week … won six Big South event titles (cross country, two indoor track, three outdoor track) and four IC4A individual crowns (indoor track, three outdoor track) … placed 27th at the NCAA national cross country meet … took third at the NCAA indoor meet in the 3K and was eighth in the 5K … finished third in the NCAA outdoor 10K and fourth in the 5K … ran the fastest indoor 5K in the world, 13:37.32, to win the IC4A title … became the fifth-fastest collegiate 5K performer of all-time with his 13:20.43 clocking at the Mt. SAC Relays … broke the prestigious 4:00 mile, running a 3:57.46 on his home track … became the first athlete in the 131-year history of the IC4A Championships to win the 1,500, 5K and 10K at the same meet.

2006 (So.): Became the first Liberty athlete to win NCAA Division I All-America honors in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track in the same academic year … earned a total of four All-America distinctions … Big South Howard Bagwell Male Student-Athlete of the Year … Big South Men’s Track & Field Athlete of the Year … USATF Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year … placed fourth at the national cross country meet … finished fourth at the NCAA indoor meet in the 5K and was fifth in the 3K … took ninth in the 5K at the outdoor national championships … broke Meb Keflezighi’s cross country course record at Stanford … Penn Relays 5K champion … IC4A 10K titlist.

2005 (Fr.): Won two All-America recognitions as a freshman, placing 13th in cross country and taking fifth at the indoor 3,000 meters … became the first Big South freshman to win the conference cross country meet … broke Alan Webb’s cross country course record at Winthrop … placed fourth at the USATF Cross Country Championships, earning a spot at the World Championships … claimed the IC4A indoor 3K crown.

Prep: Home schooled … placed fourth at the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships as a senior … represented the U.S. at the World Junior Cross Country Championships … ran 2004’s fastest indoor two-mile time by a high schooler (8:50.40) … ran the fifth-fastest all-time high school indoor 3,000 meters … finished 12th in the Junior World Championship 5K … three-time high school All-American.

Personal: Son of Rob and Lisa McDougal … brother of Liberty distance standout Jordan McDougal … kinesiology major … birthday is June 1.

Personal Bests: Mile – 3:57.46, 5,000 – 13:20.43