LSC Cross Country Top Times - As of 9/29/21 (PDF)
Two Lone Star Conference cross country teams picked up victories last week. St. Edward's men took home the Concordia Classic team title and Western New Mexico's men won the NMJC Invitational. In addition, four other teams earned top three team finishes, including St. Edward's, Lubbock Christian's, Western New Mexico's and Texas A&M International's women's teams.
LSC cross country results are available here:
https://www.tfrrs.org/leagues/1392.html.
RUNNERS OF THE WEEK
MEN’S
Cody Hepker, Western New Mexico, SO, Physical Education, Albuquerque, N.M., Sandia HS
Hepker had an exceptional 8-kilometer race for Western New Mexico at the NMJC Invitational. Hepker finished fourth overall with a time of 25:41.53 and led the Mustangs to a first-place team finish, just one point ahead of second place.
WOMEN’S
Victoria Hinojosa, St. Edward's, JR, Biology, Bishop, Texas, Bishop HS
Hinojosa led St. Edward’s to a second-place team finish behind the University of Texas as the top finisher for the Hilltoppers at the Concordia Classic in Austin. Hinojosa posted a time of 24:45.1 in the 6-kilometer race, averaging 6:38 per mile to finish in 16th place.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
MEN’S
Aaron Perez, Western New Mexico, FR, Kinesiology, El Paso, Texas, Eastwood HS
Perez has already proved to be a vital runner for the Mustangs in just his second career race. The freshman finished fifth overall with a time of 25:42.77 at the NMJC Invitational and helped the Mustangs place first, beating out second place by a single point.
WOMEN’S
Odette Fernandez, Texas A&M-Kingsville, FR, Pre-Pharmacy, Grulla, Texas, Grulla HS
Fernandez paced the Javelinas to an eighth-place finish amongst seven NCAA Divison I programs at the Texas A&M Invitational while placing 36th individually with a 5-kilometer time of 20:11.5. Her performance at the Edwin Watts Cross Country Coursed marked her third-straight meet as the Blue and Gold’s top finisher.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Men’s
S-8 Innocent Murwanashyaka, West Texas A&M
S-15 Colten Brown, Oklahoma Christian
S-22 Erik Flores, UT Permian Basin
S-29 Cody Hepker, Western New Mexico
Women’s
S-8 Florance Uwajeneza, West Texas A&M
S-15 Kenya Bailey, Oklahoma Christian
S-22 Florance Uwajeneza, West Texas A&M (2)
S-29 Victoria Hinojosa, St. Edward's
Men’s Freshman
S-8 Gustavo Posada, West Texas A&M
S-15 Alex Speer, Texas A&M-Commerce
S-22 Hector Sanchez, UT Permian Basin
S-29 Aaron Perez, Western New Mexico
Women’s Freshman
S-8 Marta Pascoa, Eastern New Mexico
S-15 Emme O'Donnell, DBU
S-22 Emme O'Donnell, DBU (2)
S-29 Odette Fernandez, Texas A&M-Kingsville
SELECTED NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Noah Villarreal, Lubbock Christian, posted the best time of any Chap at the NMJC Invite, earning a top-10 finish (sixth) with a time of 25:54.76. The time beat his previous 8K personal best by over a minute. Villarreal has been Lubbock Christian's top finisher at all three meets so far this season.
Eric Rodriguez, St. Edward's, posted a career-best time at the Concordia Invitational, finishing in 26:16.6 and 4th place. With an average mile time of 5:17.1, Rodriguez led the Hilltoppers to their second straight meet win.
Cody Fountain, Texas A&M-Kingsville, completed the 8k at the Edwin Watts Cross Country Course in 26:06.2, placing 66th in the process. He was TAMUK's top finisher for the third consecutive event at the Texas A&M Invitational and finished ahead of 23 NCAA Division I competitors, including multiple Power 5 competitors.
Ivan Guzman, St. Edward’s, brought home eighth place at the Concordia Invitational with a time of 26:39.1 as the Hilltoppers won their second straight meet. Guzman posted an average time of 5:21.7 in the 8K race.
Madelyn Merrell, Lubbock Christian, led Lubbock Christian at the NMJC, posting a time of 20:37.69 in the 5-kilometer race, which earned her a third-place finish. The Lady Chaps were second overall at the meet, just one point behind the leader. The third-place finish marked a career-best in cross country.
Sydney Smith, St. Edward’s, finished in 18th place at the Concordia Invitational, posting a time of 24:48.9, averaging 6:39.3. The Hilltoppers finished in second place overall, trailing only the University of Texas.