LSC Cross Country Top Times - As of 10/9/19 (PDF)
RUNNER OF THE WEEK
MALE
Ezekiel Kipchirchir, West Texas A&M, JR, Health Sciences, Eldoret, Kenya, Sibanga Secondary
Kipchirchir placed seventh overall at the Louisville Classic for the highest Division II finish at the meet to help the Buffs finish ninth as a team. Kipchirchir finished the 8k course in 23:47.6 to break the school's 8k record by 3.3 seconds and set a new personal best.
FEMALE
Kelsey Castillo, Oklahoma Christian, SR, Nursing, Edmond, Okla., Edmond North HS
Castillo led the Eagles with a 12th-place finish among 351 runners in the second women’s collegiate race in the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday. Her time of 18:33.6 was more than 48 seconds better than her previous time in a 5k cross country race of 19:20.7, which she ran in September 2018. It was Castillo’s third career top-15 individual finish in a cross country race and her second this season. Her performance helped the Eagles record an eighth-place finish among 41 teams in Saturday’s race.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
MALE
Owen Pearce, Oklahoma Christian, FR, Undeclared, Kingman, Kan., Kingman HS
Pearce recorded his personal-best time for an 8k cross country race, finishing in 25:42.0 in the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark. It was good for an 118th-place finish among 315 runners. The race featured a mix of strong Division I and II, NAIA and junior-college teams.
FEMALE
Brenda Prieto, Western New Mexico, FR, Undeclared, Las Cruces, N.M., Mayfield HS
Prieto posted a time of 18:52.6 in the women's 5k of the Mesa Classic in Mesa, Ariz. to claim the individual title and lead the Mustangs to a a team win. WNMU finished with four runners in the top-10.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Male
S-11 Timon Kemboi, Texas A&M-Commerce
S-18 Ezekiel Kipchirchir, West Texas A&M
S-25 Timon Kemboi, Texas A&M-Commerce (2)
O-2 Erik Burciaga-Flores, UT Permian Basin
O-9 Ezekiel Kipchirchir, West Texas A&M (2)
Female
S-11 Leah Lewis, DBU
S-18 Amerhyst Aguirre, Midwestern State
S-25 Amira McKee, Lubbock Christian
O-2 Abril Escamilla, Texas A&M International
O-9 Kelsey Castillo, Oklahoma Christian
Male Freshman
S-11 Timon Kemboi, Texas A&M-Commerce
S-18 Kevin Baez, Tarleton
S-25 Timon Kemboi, Texas A&M-Commerce (2)
O-2 Erik Burciaga-Flores, UT Permian Basin
O-9 Owen Pearce, Oklahoma Christian
Female Freshman
S-11 Emily Mackel, DBU
S-18 Jenna Brazeal, Tarleton
S-25 Jenna Brazeal, Tarleton (2)
O-2 Faith Brothers, St. Edward’s
O-9 Brenda Prieto, Western New Mexico
SELECTED NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Landon Thornton, UT Tyler, placed 64th overall in Race 2 of the Chile Pepper Festival, finishing in 27:08.1. As a team, the Patriots finished the race 17th out of 39 teams.
Timon Kemboi, Texas A&M-Commerce, was the top LSC finisher in the second race at the Chile Pepper Festival 8k, placing ninth in the race with a time of 25:53.6. The Lions placed sixth in the race, ahead of three Division I schools.
David Apodaca, Western New Mexico, led the way for the Mustangs finishing first overall with a time of 25:49.4 in the men's 8k at the Mesa Classic in Mesa, Ariz. WNMU took the top spot as a team, totaling 29-points with four runners finishing in the top-10.
Matthew Cecotti, UT Tyler, placed 32nd overall with a steady performance, recording a time of 26:38.5. Between the mile mark and 5.5 km, Cecotti gained 14 places, and he picked up another 11 spots over the final 2.5 km of the race. As a team, the Patriots finished the race 17th out of 39 teams.
Caleb Bozarth, Oklahoma Christian, posted a career-best time for 8,000-meter cross country in the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark., finishing 107th overall among 315 runners in 25:37.7 -- more than 41 seconds better than his previous top 8K time of 26:19, set during the Missouri Southern Stampede in Joplin, Mo., in September 2017.
Natasha Carcano, UT Tyler, was UT Tyler's top finisher, placing 59th overall in Race 2 of the Chile Pepper Festival, as she slashed a full minute off her previous best 5k time to post a 19:44.7.
Sara Lindero, Oklahoma Christian, Lindero steadily moved through the field during the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday, earning herself a 97th-place finish among 351 runners. Her time of 20:15.7 was her career-best in a 5,000-meter cross country race and helped the Eagles record an eighth-place finish among 41 teams in Saturday’s race, beating the five other LSC teams in the field.