Howard Payne University cross country teams will be competing in the The 2010 American Southwest Conference Cross Country Championships which are set for Saturday (October 30) on the campus of the University of Texas at Tyler in Tyler, Texas.
The women will run a 6K and begin at 8:30 a.m., while the men will compete in an 8K with a start time of 9:30 a.m.
“We are very pleased to host the 2010 ASC Cross Country Championships,” Texas-Tyler head coach Bob Hepler said. “There are a record number of runners entered in this year’s meet. We have a very challenging course that will bring the over 200 ASC runners to their knees! The course is in great shape and all the teams are excited for great competition.”
The 14-team women’s field consists of Concordia Texas, East Texas Baptist, Hardin-Simmons, Howard Payne, LeTourneau, Louisiana College, McMurry, Mississippi College, Ozarks, Schreiner, Sul Ross State, Texas-Dallas, Texas-Tyler and Texas Lutheran. Texas-Tyler is the defending champion, while MC has won three of the last five conference crowns. McMurry’s Carla Lewis led her team to a runner-up finish in 2009 by winning the individual crown with a mark of 25:01.52 but has graduated.
McMurry’s Alaisha Guerra owns the conference’s top time in the 6K this season with a 23:33 on Oct. 2 at the Rhodes Invitational. She also has the fourth-best mark (24:09 on Sept. 11 at the Texas Division III Championships). Texas-Tyler’s Jessica Waninger has the second and third top times with a 24:01 and 24:17 at the Rhodes Invitational and UT Tyler Invitational on Sept. 11, respectively. Mississippi College’s Ivy Price rounds out the top 5 times with a 24:23 she posted at Rhodes. McMurry and Mississippi College have each posted team wins and did so on their home courses. McMurry won its Bill Libby Invitational on Sept. 11, while MC prevailed at the Choctaw Open in Oct. 16.
The 13-team men’s field will be composed of Concordia Texas, East Texas Baptist, Hardin-Simmons, Howard Payne, LeTourneau, Louisiana College, McMurry, Mississippi College, Ozarks, Schreiner, Sul Ross State, Texas-Dallas and Texas-Tyler. MC is the defending champion, while runner-up Texas-Tyler has won four of the last five ASC crowns. MC’s Tino Gonzalez won the men’s individual title as a freshman last season with a 28:02.32.
Ozarks’ David James holds the ASC’s top time in the 8K this season with a 25:27 at the Memphis Twighlight on Sept. 25. He also owns the fifth-best mark, running a 26:52 at the Rhodes Invitational on Oct. 2. Texas-Tyler’s Jeff Chandler has the second top time with a 25:46 at Rhodes. Texas-Dallas’ Daniel Ludwig ran a 26:30 at the North Texas Invitational on Sept. 25 and Ozarks’ Tristan Cooper recorded a 26:46 at Rhodes to round out the top 5 times. Hardin-Simmons and Mississippi College have each posted team wins on their home tracks. HSU won its Short Course Race on Sept. 4, while MC hoisted the trophy at the Choctaw Open in Oct. 16.
NOTES: Free admission. . . . The awards presentation will be at 10:45 a.m. . . . The last time Texas-Tyler served as the host of the ASC Championships was in 2006. . . . Mississippi College has won the most combined ASC cross country team (15) and individual (14) titles. . . . The NCAA Division III Cross Country South/Southeast Regional Championships, which are open meets, will take place on Nov. 13 at Shelby Farms in Memphis, Tenn., hosted by Rhodes College. The national championship races will be November 20 at H.J. Max Championship Course in Waverly, Iowa, hosted by Wartburg College.
