SAU Cross Country Competes at NCAA Region Championships

Men’s NCAA South Region results.pdf
Women’s NCAA South Region results.pdf

By: Houston Taylor

SEARCY, Ark. – Southern Arkansas’ men’s and women’s cross country teams each placed 11th at the NCAA Division II South Region Cross Country Championships Saturday at Wyldewood Retreat Center. The meets were hosted by Harding University, with the Bisons finishing first through fifth for a perfect 15 points to claim the men’s title over second-place Alabama-Huntsville (92). Tampa (Fla.) posted 28 points in edging out the Lady Bisons (47) for the women’s championship.

The Muleriders were ranked 10th in the South Region heading into Saturday’s championship. Their 331 points scored earned them their 11th-place finish out of the 17-team field. Sophomore Dusty Hardin placed 45th (34:52) out of 113 contestants over the 10K course to pace the team. SAU (331) also got scoring from junior Kevin Perez (54th, 35:09), freshman Todd McAdoo (58th, 35:23), sophomore Nathan Blim (74th, 36:15), and senior Michael Wooten (100th, 38:26).

The win was the Harding men’s seventh South Region title in the last eight years. Freshman Daniel Kirwa (29:58) remained undefeated this season, winning his seventh race of the season in claiming the individual title and headlining the All-South Region team that honors the top 15 runners.

Following UAH in third was Florida Southern (106), and West Georgia (124) and Tampa (Fla.) (139) rounded out the top five.

Benedict (S.C.) College (170), Christian Brothers (195), Nova Southeastern (Fla.) (198), and West Alabama (292) were sixth through ninth, respectively, and West Florida (309) placed 10th ahead of Southern Arkansas.

The Lady Muleriders scored 295 points in placing 11th out of 18 teams over the 6K course. Senior Kendall Mears led the SAU contingent, finishing 24th with a time of 24:00 in the 119-person field. Sophomore Jessica Gadlin (24:57) was 41st, sophomore Bailey Dulaney (25:15) placed 48th, sophomore Samantha Sparks (26:22) was 70th and freshman M’Kenna Moore (29:45) was 112th to finish out SAU’s scoring. Sophomore Lindsay Spooner (113th) also competed for Southern Arkansas.

Tampa placed all five point-scoring runners in the top 11 in gaining the women’s title, with Jessica Forrester (21.50) finishing first and leading the all-region team. Harding had four participants in the top 10 in their second-place finish, Alabama-Huntsville (96) was third, Arkansas Tech (163) fourth, and West Georgia (193) rounded out the top five.

North Alabama (200) was sixth, Nova Southeastern (Fla.) (231) placed seventh, Florida Southern (242) was eighth, West Florida (256) finished ninth, and Florida Tech (262) was 10th in front of the Lady Muleriders.

The top two teams from each of the men’s and women’s divisions will advance to the national championship, which is scheduled for November 22 at Slippery Rock, Pa.