ENMU Men’s Cross Country Earns First Ever Ranking in NCAA South Central Region

PORTALES, N.M. — The Eastern New Mexico University cross country team began its 2005 campaign with an impressive second place finish in the men’s division at the Buffalo Stampede, hosted by West Texas A&M University at the WTAMU Horse Center on Friday, Sept. 2. The ENMU women’s team took third place during the event.

Felix Boit (Fr., Eldoret, Kenya/Samoei HS) and Jason Garcia (So., Alamogordo, NM/ Alamogordo HS) had a virtual photo finish with Angelo State University’s David Solis in a fight for second, third and fourth place. Boit finished third, just one second behind Solid and less than a second ahead of Garcia. Joyce Doan (So., Kent, WA/Pacific Lutheran Univ.) had a successful 5-kilometer run for the ENMU women, as she finished in sixth place.

The Greyhounds’ finishes in the 4-mile race gained Eastern a #10 ranking in the NCAA Division II South Central Region. It is the first time Eastern has been ranked since the men’s soccer program was re-established prior to the 1996 season. ENMU previously competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and won NAIA cross country titles in 1973 and 1974. The 1974 team established an NAIA record for best score at the national meet.

Boit is the nephew of former ENMU track and cross country star Michael Boit, who ran for Eastern on the championship teams of the 1970s. The elder Boit was the Bronze Medal winner for Kenya in the 800-meter run at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

Eastern will travel to Albuquerque, N.M. on Saturday, Sept. 10, to compete in the University of New Mexico Lobo Invitational. On Saturday, Sept. 17, ENMU will run at the Kachina Classic at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, N.M.