RICHARDSON, Texas – Hardin-Simmons was selected to win the 2019 American Southwest Conference Men’s Cross Country Championship. It was in a vote of the league’s head coaches the conference office announced Tuesday (August 27).
The Cowboys received 107 points and three out of 11 first-place votes in the poll. They were the 2018 ASC runner-up, placing just four points out of the lead under head coach Zack Leggett.
UT Dallas was second with 99 points and five first-place votes after winning its first title last season under first-year head coach Danielle Kcholi. Just behind the Comets was East Texas Baptist with 99 points after a third-place finish in 2018.
Rounding out the poll were LeTourneau (81 pts, 1 first); Ozarks (79, 1 first); McMurry (74); Concordia Texas (57); Belhaven (49, 1 first); Mary Hardin-Baylor (49); Louisiana College (19); and Sul Ross State (18).
Twelve runners are among those to watch in the 2019 season. Nominated by the head coaches, the watch list includes seven who earned All-Conference honors. They include last year’s individualist medalist – junior Mack Broussard from East Texas Baptist and Ozarks. Also junior Nathaneal Rankin, who qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championship last season.
Belhaven has completed its final year of transition into Division III athletics and will be eligible for the NCAA Championship for the first time.
Regular season races will begin Friday, August 30. The ASC Cross Country Championship is scheduled for November 2 and will be hosted by McMurry in Abilene at the ACU Cross Country Course.
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