The men’s cross-country team succeeded in winning their sixth consecutive Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) Friday morning after capturing 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 titles. The women won their sixth title in seven years.

Head Coach Patrick Torres, who has been at the helm since November of 2020, secured RRAC Coach of the Year honors for both men and women. He said, “The women and men both followed the race plan exactly. We stayed cautious, keeping in control of the race, and we ended up winning both titles. Our women did fantastic, and our men had a perfect score. It was a nice cap to an unconventional cross-country season.”

Jose Zarate (JR/San Antonio, Texas) captured the individual medal against 12 other runners from OLLU and Jarvis Christian College, the host of this year’s event. Nadia Sifuentes (SO/Brownsville, Texas) placed second in a slate of 13 runners.

Zarate ran a 27:24 in the 8000m and is OLLU’s fourth consecutive RRAC Individual Men’s Champion. Nathanial Rodriguez won in 2019, Andrew Moczygemba won in 2017, and Nathaniel Aguilar won in 2018.

Isaac Martinez (SO/Weslaco, Texas) placed second with a time of 27:35, followed by Rodriguez at 28:06, John Davila at 28:40 and Antonio Bustamante (JR/San Antonio, Texas) at 29:07. Jarvis’s Mugisha Espoir, Jose Delgado, Obiajulu Onyeachonam, Ty-Irvin Walker, DeMarques Davis, Eribel Munoz and Jamarcus Epps rounded up the slate of runners.

The women won their sixth conference tournament after winning in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019.

The women’s team was led by Nadia Sifuentes, who ended as the runner-up with a time of 21:16 in the 5000m. The winner was Fabiola Gonzalez from Jarvis. Following Sifuentes were Robbie Sue Espericueta (SO/La Villa, Texas) with a time of 21:40, Lindsey Broussard (SO/Kingwood, Texas) at 21:53, Kimber Watson (JR/Kingwood, Texas) at 22:24, Peyton Lammons (JR/Prosper, Texas) at 22:56 and Viridiana at 23:09. They were followed by Jarvis’s Zarreah Tilley, Jia Foster, Garlanesha Hickman-Gilbert, Emalee Lopez, Vanessa Ramos and Justice Wilson.

The men will now prepare for the 65th Annual Men’s Cross-Country National Championship on April 9 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The women will go to the 41st Annual Women’s Cross-Country National Championship also on April 9 at Cedar Rapids.