Rotich claims championship; Lion men place second at Orville Rogers Opener.

GRAND PRAIRIE – Led by a championship performance from Nicodemus Rotich, the Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s cross country team claimed runner-up honors at the Orville Rogers Opener hosted by Dallas Baptist at Lynn Creek Park. 

COMMENTS FROM COACH TRENTON PHELPS

MEN’S 8 KILOMETER RACE – RESULTS (PDF)

Rotich (Eldoret, Kenya) was the race champion in his first collegiate cross country race, completing the 8-kilometer course in a time of 25:36.9, just over 23 seconds quicker than his closest competitor. His performance marked the quickest 8-kilometer race by a Lion since the 2016 Lone Star Conference Championships. 

All five Lion scorers finished in the top 25 of the race. Oscar Leyva (Sherman) placed sixth in his first race as a Lion at 26:46.4, crossing the line nearly simultaneously with seventh-place finisher Timon Kemboi (Eldoret, Kenya). 

Tanner Townsend (Royse City) placed 23rd at 27:54.4, followed by Cooper Miller (Big Spring) in 25th place at 28:10.7. 

The Lions’ top five finishers scored 62 points, placing only four points behind meet host and team champion Dallas Baptist. 

Also running for the Lions were freshmen Marshall Pate (Kaufman), who finished 34th at 29:33.4, and Joshua Schutter (Sachse), who placed 45th at 31:34.0

TEAM SCORING

1. Dallas Baptist, 58

2. A&M-Commerce, 62

3. Texas A&M International, 86

4. Arkansas-Ft. Smith, 157

5. Jacksonville College, 163

6. Southwestern Assemblies of God, 231 

WOMEN’S 5 KILOMETER RACE – RESULTS (PDF)

Four Lions ran in the season opener for the women’s team, led by LeeAsha Madison (Lancaster), who placed 30th at 21:48.3. 

Yenifer Martinez (Irving – Nimitz) placed 32nd at 22:06.1, Kaitlyn King (Frisco – Wakeland) placed 35th at 22:35.3, and Evelyn Brown (Paris) placed 48th at 27:24.5.

UP NEXT

The Lions host the East Texas Cross Country Shootout on Friday, October 2, in Commerce’s Centennial Park.