XU Nuggets, Rush sweep UD titles; Zahri Jackson runs first

IRVING, Texas -- Xavier University of Louisiana won the women's and men's team championships of the University of Dallas Invitational cross country meet Saturday, and XU freshman Zahri Jackson was the women's individual champion.

Xavier University of Louisiana's 2011 Women's Cross Country Team
      From left: Anna D'Souza, Hali Yarmuth, Catherine Fakler, Darian Towns, Donye Coleman, Zahri Jackson, Paige Rochelle, Ashley Taylor.
(click photo to enlarge)

The Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush, both five-time defending Gulf Coast Athletic Conference champions, swept the team titles in a regular-season meet for the first time since the 2008 Mobile (Ala.) Rampage.

Jackson ran 6,000 meters in 25 minutes, 10.63 seconds to become the Nuggets' first individual champion since Ebony Harding won the 2009 GCAC title and the second female titlist during Joseph Moses' seven seasons as XU's coach. Jackson, who won't turn 18 until April, recorded her fourth top-10 finish in six collegiate meets and her third top-five.

Xavier University of Louisiana's 2011 Men's Cross Country Team
      From left: Charles Shaw, Jamaal Williams, Ray Walston, Kwame Jackson, Javon Mead, Matt Pieri. Not pictured is Emmanuel Detiege.
(click photo to enlarge)

All seven Gold Nuggets finished in the top 10 -- Hali Yarmush was second in 26:04.34, Anna D'Souza third in 26:31.85 and Catherine Fakler fourth in 26:34.62 -- and Xavier scored 16 points to win the team title by 40 points over runner-up Dallas. UD's Rachel Oleksiak placed fifth to deny the Nuggets a perfect team score.

In the 8,000-meter men's race, Matt Pieri was third in 28:00.55, Kwame Jackson sixth in 29:14.97 and Ray Walston ninth in 29:49.38. The Gold Rush scored 41 points, followed by Arlington Baptist with 54 and Dallas with 65.

Pieri has 12 top-10s and eight top-fives in three seasons at Xavier, and Walston, a senior, has 13 top-10s. Kwame Jackson, a freshman and the brother of Zahri, has four top-10s.

Also in the top 10 for Xavier's women were Ashley Taylor (sixth, 27:22.45), Darian Towns (seventh, 27:33.94) and Donyé Coleman (10th, 28:18.94). Yarmush and Towns recorded their first top-10s as collegians. Fakler, a freshman, has four top-10s and two top-fives. D'Souza and Taylor, both seniors, recorded their first top-10s of the season.

Xavier has won 14 men's and 11 women's team championships during Moses' tenure.

This was the last regular-season meet for both XU teams. Next will be the GCAC Championships at Clinton, Miss., on Oct. 22.

Men    Women

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Ellender distance standout joins Xavier Gold Nuggets

Hali Yarmush

NEW ORLEANS — Hali Yarmush, a top-10 finisher three consecutive years at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association cross country championships, has enrolled at Xavier University of Louisiana and joined the women's team.

Yarmush, a May graduate of Ellender Memorial High School in Houma, placed 10th in the state in Class 4A last season and in 2009. She ran her fastest three-mile time, 19 minutes and 37 seconds, in a fourth-place finish at the 2008 state meet.

In outdoor track Yarmush was the District 8-4A champion in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs the past two seasons and the 2010 Region III-4A champion in the 1,600. She was selected track MVP of the 2011 and 2010 8-4A girls meets.

Yarmush's fastest track times are 2:32.08 in the 800, 5:46.87 in the 1,600 and 12:25.05 in the 3,200.

Both XU teams will begin the 2011 season Thursday in the Mississippi College Opener at Clinton, Miss.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Arizona distance runner Fakler signs with Xavier Gold Nuggets

NEW ORLEANS — Catherine Fakler of Phoenix, Ariz., and Xavier College Preparatory Roman Catholic High School has signed a women's cross country scholarship with Xavier University of Louisiana.

Fakler (pronounced FOCK-ler) has best times of 19 minutes, 22.68 seconds for three miles and 20:44.70 for 5,000 meters. She recorded her 5K best at the Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional at Gilbert, Ariz., in November.

Catherine Fakler

Other best times for Fakler include 5:24.98 for 1,600 meters and 11:55.52 for 3,200 meters — both recorded during the current outdoor track season — and 2:28.38 in the 800.

As a sophomore in 2008, Fakler finished 33rd out of 154 runners in Arizona's Class 5A Division I state meet. She was the Gators' fourth fastest finisher and helped XCP win the team championship.

Fakler has a 4.0 grade-point average at XCP and a composite ACT score of 30.

"I am very excited to have Catherine join our women's cross country program," XU Coach Joseph Moses said. "I expect her to be one of our top three runners this fall."

Xavier's other female signee for 2011 is Zahri Jackson of Kingwood, Texas.

Xavier University competes in the NAIA's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and won the last five GCAC women's and men's team championships.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS