Nuggets open season with victory at Wolf Pack Invitational

From left: Zahri Jackson, Hannah Finnegan, Donyé Coleman, Catherine Fakler, Briana Simms, Paige Rochelle and Hali Yarmush pose after winning the women's team championship of the season-opening Loyola Wolf Pack Invitational.

METAIRIE, Louisiana — Xavier Univerity of Louisiana got a 2-4-9 finish from Zahri Jackson, Catherine Fakler and Briana Simms to win the women's team championship of the season-opening Loyola Wolf Pack Invitational cross country meet at Lafreniere Park on Saturday.

The Gold Nuggets scored 33 points to beat eight teams and finish 21 points ahead of runner-up Mississippi College. It's the first time in six years that the XU women won their opener, and it's the 13th time the Nuggets won a meet in Joseph Moses' eight seasons as coach.

It was the third team title in four meets for the XU women, dating to the University of Dallas Invitational 11 months ago.

MC's Jennifer Cooper won the 5,000-meter women's race in 19 minutes, 57.23 seconds. Jackson, a sophomore, was next in 20:08.05 and earned her fifth top-5 finish in nine collegiate meets. Fakler's time was 20:39.45, and Simms, a freshman in her collegiate debut, finished in 21:06.85.

Also scoring for the Gold Nuggets were Hali Yarmush in 12th place (21:30.24) and Hannah Finnegan in 13th (21:32.50). Finnegan, a freshman, also made her XU debut.

Jackson set a Xavier women's sophomore record for fastest 5K; she beat Ebony Harding's 2007 mark by nearly 11 seconds. She also posted the highest finish of the past 12 seasons by a Xavier female in a season opener.

In the 5K men's race, Xavier's Kwame Jackson, Zahri's brother, was second (16:36.40), and Matt Pieri was fourth (16:49.08). Pieri placed in the top four of this event for the third time in four years.

Gold Rush freshman David Holobowicz (18:14.28) was 16th in his collegiate debut. Charles Shaw was 35th in 19:34.33, and Emmanuel Detiege was 40th in 19:46.41.

William Carey's Joash Osoro won in 15:33.85 and led the Crusaders to the men's team title wisth 51 points, 10 fewer than runner-up Mississippi College. Xavier placed third with 87 points.

Both XU teams will compete next Saturday in the Azalea City Classic at Mobile, Ala.

Results: Men Women


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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