Team Preps for LSC Meet

October 18, 2008

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Southwestern Oklahoma State University ran its final cross country meet before the Lone Star Conference Championships as the Bulldogs were one of 39 teams competing in the University of Arkansas Chile Pepper Festival.

The Bulldogs finished 34th in a field dominated by NCAA Division I teams, including defending national champion Texas Tech. The Red Raiders, led by two-time NCAA individual champion Sally Kipyengo, won the meet with a team total of 72 points. The host, University of Arkansas, was second with 101 points.

Two other LSC teams, Midwestern State and East Central, ran at the meet. MSU finished 25th and ECU finished 33rd.

Stefanie Jones was again the top SWOSU finisher. She placed 118th in the 300+ runner field with a six-kilometer time of 23:02. Next for SWOSU was Patty Murphy who finished 215th with a time of 24:54, Melissa Banks was 243rd with a time of 25:33, Emily Haskins was 219th with a time of 26:00 and Kate Hollenshead was 224th with a time of 26:13.

SWOSU, who finished a school-best fifth in last year’s LSC meet, will again be tested by some of the top teams in the region including nine-time defending league champion Abilene Christian. The meet will be ran at the L.E. Ramey Golf Course in Kingsville, Texas on Saturday, Oct. 25.