Athletic Report
October 23, 1999

ZIAS FINISH 9TH, GREYHOUNDS 10TH AT LSC CROSS COUNTRY MEET
ADA, OK — The Eastern New Mexico University women’s cross country team placed 9th out of 13 teams and the ENMU men’s cross country team finished 10th out of 11 teams, at the Lone Star Conference Cross Country Championships, hosted by East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, on Sat., Oct. 23.

Abilene Christian University won the men’s team title, and Harding University earned the women’s team title. ACU claimed the men’s championship with a score of 25. Other team scores were: Harding 52, Texas A&M-Commerce 72, Texas A&M-Kingsville 143, Angelo State 150, Tarleton State 174, East Central 207, Ouachita Baptist 216, West Texas A&M 216, Eastern New Mexico 227, and Central Oklahoma 258.

The men’s race covered 8 kilometers. Harding achieved the women’s title with a team score of 48.

Other women’s team scores were: Texas A&M-Commerce 65, Tarleton State 71, Angelo State 98, Southeastern Oklahoma 98, Texas A&M-Kingsville 131, Abilene Christian 211, West Texas A&M 223, Eastern New Mexico 246, Central Oklahoma 272, East Central 281, Southwestern Oklahoma 305, and Ouachita Baptist 325.

The women’s race covered 6 kilometers. Individually, Hawk Harris (Sr., Hobbs, NM/Hobbs H.S.) and Veronica Samaniego (Sr., Sonora, TX/Sonora H.S.) were Eastern’s top finishers.

Harris took 15th place in the men’s race with a personal best 8K time of 26:59. He finished just 33 seconds out of 10th place. Samaniego finished 27th in the women’s race. Her 6K time was 24:52, as she concluded the race just 30 seconds out of 19th place.

The individual men’s champion was Gilbert Tuhabonye of ACU, who finished two seconds ahead of teammate Alfred Rugema. Tuhabonye clocked in at 24:29, with Rugema finishing in 24:31.

The individual women’s champion was Damaris Vaughan of Angelo State. She completed the course in 22:33 to finish 15 seconds ahead of Nicole Sharp from Southeastern Oklahoma (22:48).

Harris was one of six ENMU runners entered in the men’s race. The top five finishers for each team contributed to the team score. In addition to Harris, other ENMU runners in the men’s race were David Gonzalez (So., Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.), who took 42nd place in 28:15, Michael Sanchez (Fr., Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.), who finished 43rd in 28:27, Juan Castanon (Jr., Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.), who clocked in at 29:46 for 58th place, Michael Oates (Fr., Albuquerque, NM/Monzano H.S.), who finished in 69th in 34:47 and Stephen Bogue (Fr., Albuquerque, NM/Monzano H.S.), who was 70th in 36:09.

The Zias had six entrants in the women’s race, with the top five finishers counting toward ENMU’s team score. In addition to Samaniego, women’s runners for ENMU were Mindy Clark (Jr., Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.), who earned 43rd place in 25:47, Michele Rice (So., Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.), who placed 51st in 26:32, Colleen Banet (Fr., Albuquerque, NM/Eldorado H.S.), who finished 55th in 26:39, Jerri Begay (So., Crownpoint, NM/Crownpoint H.S.), who took 70th in 28:53 and Lindsey Pfaff (Fr., Los Alamos, NM/Los Alamos H.S.), who placed 74th in 29:22.

Eastern’s top runners will compete at the NCAA Division II Regional in Hays, Kan. on Sat., Nov. 6. The Regional will be hosted by Fort Hays State University, with races beginning at 9:00 a.m. (Mountain).