Athletic Report
October 11, 2001

GILBERT, HERNANDEZ LEAD ENMU TEAMS AT ANGELO STATE CROSS COUNTRY CLASSIC
SAN ANGELO, TX — Jonathan Gilbert (Jr., Saco, ME/U. of Massachusetts) and Debbie Hernandez (So., Lovington, NM/Lovington H.S.) were the top finishers for Eastern New Mexico University in their respective races at the Angelo State University Blue and Gold Cross Country Classic, Oct. 11 in San Angelo, Texas.

Gilbert placed 20th in the men’s division and Hernandez was 22nd in the women’s race. Gilbert clocked in at 30:55 in the 5-mile men’s race. He finished 37 seconds and two places ahead of teammate Robert Fear (Fr., Artesia, NM/Artesia H.S.), who took 22nd place in 31:32. Jason Mackey (Fr., Hobbs, NM/Hobbs H.S.) finished in 32:23 to take 26th place. Jordan Benge (Fr., Albuquerque, NM/Eldorado H.S.) ran the course in 35:17, and placed 30th.

The individual men’s champion was Sam Mwape of South Plains College, who concluded the event in 26:00. He won by a minute and two seconds over Ricky Ontiveros of Wayland Baptist University, who clocked in at 27:02. South Plains also won the men’s team title with 38 points. Angelo State was second at 49 points, followed by West Texas A&M University at 64 and Wayland Baptist at 71.

ENMU, New Mexico Junior College and Abilene Christian University did not field complete teams. Hernandez ran the 6-kilometer women’s course in 28:26. She was just 10 seconds out of 21st and 34 seconds away from the Top 20. Jana Villegas (Fr., Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.) was 27th with a time of 30:48. Kellie Norton of Angelo State helped the Rambelles with the women’s team title by taking the individual crown in 24:22.

Mirriam Kaumba of South Plains claimed second place in 24:46. ASU’s winning team score was 21. West Texas A&M took second with a score of 52, and New Mexico Junior College finished 3rd with a score of 59.

ENMU, South Plains, Odessa College, Wayland Baptist, Abilene Christian and Ranger College did not field complete teams. The Greyhounds and Zias will return to San Angelo on Oct. 20 for the Lone Star Conference Cross Country Meet. The event is set to begin at 9:00 a.m. (MST).

Last year, ENMU placed 7th in the men’s division and 10th in the women’s division. The defending team champions are Abilene Christian for the men and the University of Central Oklahoma for the women.