HAMMOND – The Lions and Lady Lions each finished 11th Monday at the Southland Conference Cross Country Championships in Nacogdoches, Texas. Lamar (men) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (women) brought home team championships.

The Southeastern men averaged 28:52.96 in the 8K event and accumulated 303 points while the women averaged 24:20.66 in the 6K run and accumulated 308 points.

“I thought that a couple athletes – Joseph LeGrange, Matt Mouton, Bethany Burst – ran about how we expected,” head coach Sean Brady said. “They even came close to some personal bests, but it just wasn't our day today.”

LeGrange, a sophomore from Baton Rouge, recorded the best time (27:22.7) for the Southeastern men and finished 46th overall. Mouton (27:42.1), Jesse McDavitt (28:56.5) and Paul Arthur (29:47.2) finished under 30 minutes.

Burst, who finished 49th overall, led the Lady Lions with a time of 23:40.1. Heather Fitzhenry (23:55.5), Naomi Jeruto (24:12.8) and Lindsey Toups (24:42.9) recorded the next best times for Southeastern.

“It just didn't come together,” Brady said. “I thought training had been going well, but we hadn't seen a very hilly, challenging course like that all season.

Qualifying Southland Conference athletes will move on to the NCAA Cross Country Regionals in Waco, Texas (Nov. 12) and the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. (Nov. 21).


RESULTS

Event 1 - Men 8k Run CC
46. Joseph LeGrange    27:22.7
54. Matt Mouton               27:42.1
67. Jesse McDavitt         28:56.5   
75. Paul Arthur                 29:47.2
78. Corey O'Dell              30:36.3
80. Shaquille Brown       30:54.0


Event 2 - Women 6k Run CC
49. Bethany Burst             23:40.1
56. Heather Fitzhenry       23:55.5
64. Naomi Jeruto              24:12.8
73. Lindsey Toups            24:42.9
77. Brittany Blackmon      25:12.0            
78. Emily McAfee               25:22.2


Men's Team Results 
1. Lamar                                           29                                               
2. UTSA                                            63                                      
3. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi       91                       
4. Stephen F. Austin                      100                    
5. McNeese State                          134                      
6. Texas State                                152                        
7. UT Arlington                               204                      
8. Sam Houston State                  221                       
9. Central Arkansas                      244                      
10. Northwestern State                295                       
11. Southeastern Louisiana       303                      
12. Nicholls State                          337
                  
Women's Team Results 
1. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi      65
2. UTSA                                            70
3. Lamar                                          92
4. Texas State                                 115
5. UT Arlington                                123
6. Stephen F. Austin                      156
7. McNeese State                           164
8. Nicholls State                             206
9. Central Arkansas                       232
10. Sam Houston State                 241
T11. Southeastern Louisiana      308
T11. Northwestern State               308