Freshmen lead the way as Rush return to top of GCAC

CLINTON, Mississippi — Xavier University of Louisiana men's cross country had four freshmen in the lineup Friday morning at the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships, but no signs of stage fright en route to a decisive team victory.

Led by freshmen Francis Patterson and Jordan Ashmore, the Gold Rush avenged a 2017 defeat to Edward Waters at this meet and won the men's team title for the 11th time in the last 12 attempts.
     
As a result, the XULA men earned an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships Nov. 16 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

 Results 
   
Patterson ran the 8,000-meter (4.97-mile) course at Choctaw Trails in 29 minutes, 50.86 seconds to finish third out of 49 runners. Ashmore was fourth in 30:06.97. It was the first time since 2007 that the top two Gold Rush finishers at conference were freshmen.
     
"From day one, the mindset is to win," first-year XULA coach Yhann Plummer said. "No doubt. Every time the lineup is on the line, we're going to win. Freshmen, upperclassmen, it doesn't matter. They should be doing this all the time."
    
The top 10 finishers were named all-conference. The Gold Rush had four honorees: Patterson, Ashmore, Camren Sewell (seventh place, 30:33.88) and Oji Wells (ninth, 31:35.30). Sewell was All-GCAC for the second straight year, and Wells did it for the second time in three years.
     
XULA, a 45-64 loser to Edward Waters in the 2017 team standings, outscored the Tigers 34-50 this time and scored its fewest points at conference since 2013. Philander Smith was third with 54 points, followed by Dillard (108), Tougaloo (140), SUNO (142) and Talladega (147). GCAC newbie Rust had only four finishers and did not qualify for team scoring.
    
Wells was in the second half of the pack during the early stages before rallying. "I expect a lot from Oji," Plummer said. "We had to get him in a rhythm, and when we do, he can run well."
     
Darrick Williams, the only Gold Rush senior, was 11th in 32:18.10. Kadeem Burton was 26th in 34:08.75, and Langston Scott was 28th in 34:45.30. Burton and Scott are freshmen.
     
This is XULA's 11th GCAC team title in men's cross country, and the Gold Rush tied former member Mobile for the most championships in this sport. Plummer also coached the XULA women to a GCAC team title earlier in the morning. The conference titles are the first on the team level for Plummer, who achieved oodles of national success as coach of track and field in 11 seasons (2006-17) at SUNO. XULA announced his hiring Aug. 8 after a nationwide search.
     
"It wasn't easy," Plummer said of his journey from August to Friday's meet. "I got the job when I didn't expect to. But I got it, and I took it and ran with it. Our teams performed well today, and things are going to get better from here."
     
Solomon Stevens of Edward Waters repeated as men's individual champion in 29:01.65. Philander Smith's Santerris Booker was second in 29:07.80.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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