Florida State star Susan Kuijken looked like she would win her first NCAA championship in cross country on Monday afternoon, providing an exclamation point to her career.

She dropped pre-race favorite Jenny Barringer of Colorado halfway through the 6K race and was on her own. But she had gone out too hard (12:49 split at the 4K) and tired in the final kilometer, fighting to hold on to a third-place finish in 19:58 that helped lead her team to all-time best finish, second.

Villanova won the women’s title (86 points), followed by FSU (133) and Washington (186). Florida was seventh.

“That was really gutsy,’’ coach Bob Braman said of Kuijken’s effort to hang on for third. “I was real, real excited for her.’’

She was second last year and third in 2007.

“And for the women to finish second in the nation, that’s an unbelievable job,’’ Braman said. “They were eighth coming in and they beat Washington, the defending champs, handily. That’s amazing. (Coach) Karen (Harvey) just did a great job.’’

Pasca Cheruiyot was 15th (20:23), followed by Amanda Winslow (33rd, 20:44), Jennifer Dunn (36th, 20:47) and Pilar McShine (46th, 21:00).

The men’s team, shooting for a Top 20 finish in the field of 31, had bad luck and a bad day. Top runners Matt Leeder and Daniel Roberts were sick and Wes Rickman was nursing a hamstring injury.

“In cross country, if it’s not your day, it’s not your day,’’ Braman said. "It's disappointing but it's hard to be disappointed in their effort.''

Leeder was 43rd in the 10K race (30:30), Roberts was 89th (31:04), Ciaran O’Lionard was 147th (31:42), Mike Fout was 151th (31:47) and Rickman was 182nd (32:26).