The men’s cross-country team won the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) Men’s Cross-Country Championships. The event was held at the Windcrest Golf Course.
OLLU secured seven of the top 10 finishers, with Texas A&M University – Texarkana’s (TAMUT) Shea Johnson winning the individual medal and teammate Isaac Cup coming in third. University of the Southwest’s Brendan Curtis finished 10th.
TAMUT came in second in the championship, followed by the University of the Southwest, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Jarvis Christian University.
OLLU senior Joseph Gonzalez was the runner-up with a time of 26:19 in the 8000m. Sabastian Moreno came in fourth with a time of 26:51. In fifth place was Isai Moran with a time of 27:17. In sixth was Jayden Turrubiates with a time of 27:25. Seventh place finisher was Jose Saucedo with a time of 27:42, followed by Kruz Malesich in eighth place with a time of 27:49 and Tony Favella in ninth place with a time of 28:01. These Saints, united in their pursuit of victory, all earned All-Conference honors, showcasing the strong bond and camaraderie within the team.
Other finishers for the Saints include: Vincent Garza, 28:17; Ryan Aldana, 28:46; Andrew Ruiz, 29:03; Jose Perez, 29:17; Robert Rios, 30:35; JoseCarlos Hernandez, 31:04; Marc Castro, 31:43; and Dominic Alonzo, 34:41.
Brett Charlton, in his first year as head coach, also captured Coach of the Year honors.
This marks the men’s ninth championship title in 10 years. The team won the title in 2022 but was disqualified.
After the meet, the Saints honored the Senior Class of 2024 – Joseph Gonzalez, JoseCarlos Hernandez, Kruz Malesich, Diego Moran, Robert Rios and Andrew Ruiz.
What’s next
The men will prepare for the 69th Annual NAIA Men’s Cross-Country National Championship, which will take place Nov. 22 at the Gans Creek Cross-Country Course in Columbia, Miss. This prestigious event will see the best college cross-country teams from across the nation compete for the title.