CLINTON, MISS. – The Patriots men used a flurry of top 15 finishes to claim the team title at the Mississippi College/ Watson Invitational.
The team placed first in an event that featured multiple Division I teams and top level Division II programs. The Patriots were the only program in the field to place three runners in the top 10, and the only program to place four runners in the top 15.
Leading the way with a second place finish was redshirt freshman
Angel Contreras. Contreras ran a time of 25:18.8 to just edge himself into second place. That time from Contreras will go down as the fastest 8K race in school history for UT Tyler.
Junior
Jack Gipson ran a time of 25:42.2 to finish in sixth place in the meet. Sophomore
Landon Thornton placed in ninth after running the 8K in a time of 25:51.1.
Rounding out the scoring for the Patriots men was
Lorenzo Chavez with a 13
th place finish, and freshman
Kalen Barlow who finished in 46
th place.
On the women's side of the meet, UT Tyler placed seventh in a field that also featured strong Division I and Division II competition. The Patriots placed four out of five scoring runners in the top 50.
Leading the way for the Patriots women was redshirt junior
Natasha Carcano. Carcano ran the 6K event in a time of 23:28.6 to place in 9
th overall. This is a new personal best in the 6K distance for Carcano by 20 seconds.
Redshirt junior
Tiffany Vargas placed 45
th in a time of 26:08.0.
Marissa Agee and
Mason Fleming fared well in their first runs at the 6K distance in their respective career. The pair finished just two and a half seconds apart with Fleming running a time of 26:13.0 and Agee running a time of 26:15.5.
Rounding out the scoring for the Patriots women was
Nicolette Esparza. She finished her race in 88
th and ran a time of 28:37.6.
Full results and times can be found below.
Coming up next for the Patriots cross country programs will be the Lone Star Conference Championships. That meet will take place on October 30
th in Lawton, Oklahoma.
