The Plainsman Press - South Plains College

by Emily Dunlop, staff writer

The leaves are changing colors and the fall is setting in. This means cross country season has started.

“This team is passionate about running, and we hope to be really successful and be national champions this season,” says assistant coach Blaine Wiley.

Among those running for the men’s team this season are returning All-Americans John Kosgei and Josphat Melly, both sophomores from Kenya. Other returning sophomores are Harold Jackson and Chris Jones from Houston, Thaddeus Gordon from Lufkin, Michael Hernandez from Balmorhea, and T.K. Revis from Corpus Christi.

The newcomers for the men’s team include: Fred Samoei, a freshman from Kenya; Chicanel Cole, a freshman from Killeen; Javier Perez, a freshman from Cedar Park; and Mike Rodriguez, Chris Martinez, and Chris Salazar, all freshmen from Big Spring. Rounding out the roster this season is Sharif Webb, a freshman from Paramus, N.J, and Jorge Castillo, a freshman from Houston, who shaves his initials on his shins to standout in races.

Running for the women’s team this season is returning All-American sophomore Lillian Badaru, a native of Uganda. Gladys Chumba and Florence Jepchirchir are both freshmen from Kenya. The roster also includes freshmen newcomers Melinda Burrola from Sundown, Crystal Dickinson from Laredo, Jessica Kirchner from Plano, Angelina Williams from Dallas, and Meagan Willingham from Ballinger.

Finishing up the roster is Meagan Erickson, a freshman from College Station, who writes on the bottom of her socks. On one foot she writes, “run fast”, and then writes the Bible verse Philippians 4:13 on the other.

The team has already had a running start this season. They traveled to Abilene on Sept. 1 for the ACU September Cross Country Classic at Sherrod Park. The women’s team finished second with 29 points after only one week of practice. The team competed against the No. 1-ranked team in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional poll, Abilene Christian University. The men also placed second with 35 points.

In the women’s three-mile race, Badaru placed first overall with a time of 16:47.04. Jepchirchir placed fourth, Chumba placed fifth, Willingham placed ninth, Dickinson placed 10th, Burrola placed 18th, Kirchner placed 20th, Williams placed 23rd, and Erickson placed 26th.

In the men’s four-mile race, Kosgei placed second with a time of 19:42.52. Samoei placed third, Melly placed eighth, Perez placed 10th, Castillo placed 12th, Hernandez placed 13th, Revis placed 16th, Martinez placed 25th, Salazar placed 27th, and Rodriguez placed 34th.
The South Plains College Cross Country team just competed at The Red Raider Jackrabbit on Sept. 15th at Texas Tech for their second race this season. However, results were not available at press time.