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Oct. 23, 2009

RICHARDSON, Texas – The Lone Star Conference will hold its cross country championships this Saturday at the West Texas A&M University Horse Center in Canyon, Texas. Midwestern State’s women and Abilene Christian’s men will look to defend their 2008 titles.

The championships will consist of a six kilometer race for the women starting at 9:30 a.m. and an eight kilometer race for the men starting at 10:15 a.m.

The LSC has held cross country championships for the men each year since 1982, and ACU has won all but four of them, including the last 18 in a row. The Wildcats have been dominant on the women’s side as well, winning 16 of the 25 championship meets, which began in 1984.

Other men’s champions include Central Oklahoma in 1989 and 1990 and Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1984 and 1986.

The other women’s championships have been won by UCO in 2000, former LSC member Harding in 1999, Angelo State, which won the title four straight years from 1987-90 in addition to 1992 and 1998, and MSU picked up its only cross country championship last year.

The Mustangs won the title in 2008 by placing five runners in the top 20 and three in the top 10, led by Katie Stepp, who finished 4th, 2008 LSC Freshman of the Year Lindsey Pate, who finished 7th, and Kayla Hendrix, who finished 10th. Stepp has graduated, but both Hendrix and Pate will be back in the race for MSU this year. The 2008 women’s race was won by ACU’s Winrose Karunde, who finished in 21:39.

On the men’s side, ACU continued its dominance in 2008, with five of the six top finishers, led by individual medalist Daniel Maina, who finished in 23:32, second-place finisher Cleophas Tanui and third-place finisher Daniel Nyango. Both Maina and Tanui will be back on the course for the Wildcats.

So far in 2009, TAMUK’s Erica Alvarado has the top time in 6K races, at 22:54.6, which is faster than Southwestern Oklahoma State’s Chelsey Dillon (23:21) and ahead of Javelina teammate Jessica Martinez (24:31.1).

For the men, Tarleton State’s Jared McNeil has the top 8K time on the season at 24:35.12, in front of teammate Gerzain Valenzuela (24:35.93) and ahead of ACU’s Amos Sang (24:38.43). - WTAMU -