Sam Houston State’s women’s cross country team ran away with first place while the Bearkat men finished third at the Islander Splash meet at West Guth Park in Corprus Christi on Friday.
The impressive finish comes after a rough opening at the Texas A&M Invitational last week.
“I was disappointed with how the A&M meet went,” head coach Jesse Parker said. “I don’t know if we weren’t just ready for that level of competition or what, but I feel like both teams rebounded really well on a hilly difficult course.”
The women competed in a 5000-meter race where sophomore Olivia Olguin finished in third place, just ten seconds behind the race winner. Olguin finished the race with a clocked time of 18:05. Following Olguin was senior Anna Moreno, who finished in fourth place with a marked time of 18:15. Finishing only two seconds later was junior Nicole Apate in fifth place with a posted time of 18:17.
Sophomore Miranda Prado finished thirteenth overall and clocked in with a time of 19:08 and freshman Nina Gonzales immediately followed in fourteenth place with a time of 19:10.
As for the men’s team, the Bearkats competed in the 8000-meter race. Senior Karl Schreiber was the first Bearkat to finish and the fourth overall place with a time of 26:16. Senior Ryan Saam was the next to finish in eighth place.
Freshman Grant Burley did not have as impressive of a finish as last week’s race in College Station but still clocked in a time of 26:52, which was good enough for 15th place. Sophomore Even Arambula finished just two seconds later with a time of 26:52 in 16th place.
Junior Logan Terry finished in 28th place with a time of 27:44, and freshman Colton Stroker finished in 29th with a marked time of 28:04. Senior Patrick Pitts was the next to finish in 30th with a posted time of 28:10. The last Bearkat to finish was junior JT Bounds with a time of 29:01.
“I was really pleased with the attitude, determination and how we competed as a team,” Parker said.
SHSU will next see action Oct. 17 when the teams travel to Tuscaloosa, Al. to compete in the Crimson Tide Classic.