Nuggets 3rd in RRAC; August makes all-conference

Results:  Men    Women

WINDCREST, Texas — Xavier University of Louisiana produced third- and fifth-place team finishes Friday at the Red River Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships.
     
XU junior Christopher August was named all-conference after finishing 10th in the men's race.
     
This was Xavier's first appearance at the Red River meet. Xavier gained affiliate status in the RRAC for cross country only in 2015 after Xavier's longtime conference, the Gulf Coast Athletic, did not qualify for automatic bids for its men's and women's teams to the NAIA National Championships.
     
"I like the competition in the Red River," XU coach Joseph Moses said. "It was a little more stout than the GCAC."
     
Xavier won nine consecutive GCAC men's and women's team titles from 2006-14. But Friday the Gold Nuggets scored 81 points to finish third behind Our Lady of the Lake (20 points) and Wiley (37). The Gold Rush were fifth with 123 points, losing a tiebreaker for fourth with Jarvis Christian. Our Lady of the Lake (36), Wiley (78) and the University of the Southwest (86) were the top three men's teams.
     
"We knew our women would be in a good race with Wiley, the defending champion, and Our Lady of the Lake, which had been running well all season," Moses said. "Our women gave it their best shot. We'll regroup next year.
     
"On the men's side we did not have the talent or the numbers we've had in the past. But we'll get better there."
     
August, All-GCAC the previous two seasons, ran 8,000 meters in 28 minutes, 30 seconds. The other Gold Rush finishers were Brent Kitto (16th, 30:48), Darrick Williams(19th, 31:28), Xaiver Latting (32nd, 36:14) and Felipe Perrier (46th, 40:42). It was the first collegiate 8K for Williams and Perrier, both freshmen.
     
Zahri Jackson, a two-time GCAC individual champion, led the Gold Nuggets. She ran 5,000 meters in a season-best 20:56. The Nuggets' other finishers were Dionysia Love(16th, career-best 21:18), Brianna Pace (17th, career-best 21:19), Briana Simms (18th, season-best 21:51), Hannah Finnegan (21st, season-best 22:37) and Kailey Williams(31st, career-best 24:12).
     
It was the XU cross country finale for Jackson, Finnegan, Simms, Williams and Kitto, all seniors.
     
Individual champions were Wiley's Patrick Mutai (26:12) in the men's race and Jazmine Garcia (18:48) in the women's.
     
Moses said he would welcome a return to the Red River if the GCAC does not reclaim its automatic bids in 2016. "We'd love to come back here," Moses said, "and redeem ourselves and try to win some championships next year."
     
Next for the XU distance runners will be the outdoor track and field season, which will begin in early March.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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