Oct. 21, 2004

The West Texas A&M men's and women's cross country teams will run their final regular-season race of the season this Saturday, Oct. 23, 2004 at the Lone Star Conference Championships, hosted by Southeastern Oklahoma State University at Durant, Oklahoma. The women's six kilometer run will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the men's eight kilometer pursuit at 10 a.m.

The women's team is led by freshman Jisel Bailon, whose season best came in a first-place finish at the McMurry University Cross Country Invitational in September, posting a time of 18:54 in the three mile run. Bailon's best time in a five kilometer race is 19:50, which earned her second-place in the Angelo State Blue and Gold Classic on Oct. 12, 2004.

Rounding out the women's top three runners are freshman Sharen Diggs, who picked up tenth place at the ASU Blue and Gold Classic finishing in a time of 21:13, and Sara McCombs, who recorded her best run at Angelo with a time of 22:51.

The WTAMU men are led by freshman Zach Valdez, whose season best 28:35 in the eight kilometer course came at the Oklahoma State Cowboy Jamboree at Stillwater, Oklahoma on October 2, 2004, which is a team best. Adding to the Buffs efforts are freshman Carmelo Morales who posted a time of 28:40 at the Oklahoma State meet and senior Lito Belmontes who posted his season best 29:20 at the Oklahoma State meet as well.

The top two teams and top two individuals runners from non-qualifying teams from each race will move on to the NCAA-II Regional Championships, which will be held at Joplin, Mo. on Nov. 6.

-WT-