Cross Country Preps for LSC

October 13, 2007

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Southwestern Oklahoma State University had its final race in preparation for the Lone Star Conference Cross Country Championships competing in the University of Arkansas Chile Pepper Festival. The five-kilometer race took place Agri Park Cross Country Course Saturday in Fayetteville.

The Bulldogs were one of three LSC teams competing in the Arkansas race and finished 26th out of the 41 teams entered. Abilene Christian finished 20th and East Central University was 27th. SWOSU finished 35th out of 40 last year.

Texas Tech won the team competition with teammates Sally Kipyego and Irene Kimaiyo finishing first and second with times of 19:49 and 20:47, respectively.

SWOSU’s Rachel Ingram was the top finisher for SWOSU for the third time this year. She placed 65th overall with a time of 22:35. A total of 280 runners competed in the event.

Stefanie Jones finished in 95th place with a time of 23:11 and her twin sister, Grace Anne Fath, placed 147th with a time of 24:08.

The next race, the LSC Championships, will be run on the campus of Texas A&M-University Commerce at Eddie More Park on Saturday, Oct. 20. The 6,000-meter race will feature 12 LSC teams all with the hopes of beating defending champion ACU for the first time in seven years.

The Bulldogs appear to be in good shape to better last year’s 11th place finish as SWOSU has regularly beaten East Central, Southeastern Oklahoma State and Texas A&M-Commerce in meets this year as well as splitting races the two times they faced Midwestern State and Tarleton State.