Clean Sweep
11/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Nov. 4, 2002
NATCHITOCHES, La. - The Stephen F. Austin men's and women's cross country teams swept the Southland Conference Cross Country Championships Monday morning in Natchitoches, La. The Lumberjacks scored 38 points to win their second consecutive title, while the Ladyjacks posted 71 points to edge out Texas-Arlington for their fourth league title.
The Ladyjacks were led by two runners earning all-conference honors. Junior Ana Rodriguez was the 2002 Southland Conference individual champion as she crossed the line first with a time of 19:18.70. Emily Hufstedler also earned All-SLC honors finishing sixth with a time of 19:41.80. Vicky Jannise was the third Ladyjack to cross the finish line with a time of 20:42.80. Jannise's time is good enough for an 18th-overall finish. Jessica Partin was less than 10 seconds off Jannise's time finishing 22nd with a time of 20:52.50. Hollie Counts closed out the scoring for SFA with her 24th-place finish. She crossed the line with a time of 20:58.90.
The Lumberjacks had four runners earn All-Southland Conference honors led by 2002 SLC individual champion Nathan Flores. He crossed the line with a time of 25:41.70. The Lumberjacks then had three runners finish the race within 16 seconds of one another led by Mike Thompson with a time of 26:17.40. Thompson was sixth overall. Teammate Justin Meier finished right behind Thompson with a time of 26:21.30. Amlesom Teklai was the fourth Lumberjack to cross the line, finishing ninth overall with a time of 26:33.30. Julian Acuna finished out the scoring for SFA when he finished just ahead of teammate Marc Farris with a time of 27:13.20. Acuna's time was good enough to place him 15th overall.
"I am very pleased with the final results," said SFA cross country coach Alex Gibby. "We entered this race with the goal of sweeping the team and individual titles. We felt coming in that it was a very achievable goal.
"We are very proud of the women. It is their first Southland Conference title since 1990. Ana Rodriguez asserted herself early. Emily Hufstedler continues to demonstrate she is the most improved runner in the conference. Vicky Jannise had a breakthrough race today. I don't think we could have won without her performance. Any time you are involved in a tight race things have to go your way. I thought we had a great team race. I think that with such a young team the future is very bright for SFA," added Gibby.
"I felt that the men were the odds on favorite," said Gibby. "They asserted themselves early and put pressure on the other teams to perform for the whole race. Nathan Flores ran a very composed race up front. I thought that the weather negated some of his advantageous but he figured out a way to win. The race of the day has to go to Mike Thompson. He had an off day at Auburn two weeks ago but stepped up big for us today. For the second-straight year we put four guys on the All-Southland Conference team, with Justin Meier and Amlesom Teklai finishing among the meet's top 10 as well. Now our aim, for both teams, is to go out and achieve some recognition at the NCAA regional meet." "I am very pleased with the final results," said SFA cross country coach Alex Gibby. "We entered this race with the goal of sweeping the team and individual titles. We felt coming in that it was a very achievable goal.
"We are very proud of the women. It is their first Southland Conference title since 1990. Ana Rodriguez asserted herself early. Emily Hufstedler continues to demonstrate she is the most improved runner in the conference. Vicky Jannise had a breakthrough race today. I don't think we could have won without her performance. Any time you are involved in a tight race things have to go your way. I thought we had a great team race. I think that with such a young team the future is very bright for SFA," added Gibby.
"I felt that the men were the odds on favorite," said Gibby. "They asserted themselves early and put pressure on the other teams to perform for the whole race. Nathan Flores ran a very composed race up front. I thought that the weather negated some of his advantageous but he figured out a way to win. The race of the day has to go to Mike Thompson. He had an off day at Auburn two weeks ago but stepped up big for us today. For the second-straight year we put four guys on the All-Southland Conference team, with Justin Meier and Amlesom Teklai finishing among the meet's top 10 as well. Now our aim, for both teams, is to go out and achieve some recognition at the NCAA regional meet."
The SFA cross country teams will compete in the NCAA South Central Regional on Saturday Nov. 16. The meet will be hosted by Baylor in Waco, Texas.
-SFA-
