Lion Cross Country heads to San Antonio for the SLC Championships

COMMERCE – It is Southland Conference Championships time for the Texas A&M University-Commerce cross teams, who compete at the Windcrest Golf Club in San Antonio on Friday morning.

CHAMPIONSHIPS CENTRAL: https://www.southland.org/tournaments/?id=191&path=cross

WATCH: ESPN+ | https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/fb600476-7061-48a8-9a8d-db48bee64c42

LIVE RESULTS: https://www.chuckscore.com/

The Lion men placed sixth in their debut at the SLC Championships last season, while the women took eighth. A&M-Corpus Christi is the defending men’s champion, and New Orleans is the defending women’s champion.

This season, the Lions competed in four races before the conference championships. The top runner on the men’s side in each race has been Alex Speer (Robinson), who looks to improve upon his 18th-place finish at last season’s SLC Championships. Anete Randma (Tallinn, Estonia) has been the top finisher for the women this season, recording two top-10 finishes.

Both teams last competed at the Bradley Pink Classic two weeks ago. The Lion women placed 10th in the white race, while the men took second in the white race.

The women will run a six-kilometer race at the Windcrest Golf Club, while the men will run an eight-kilometer race on Friday morning. The current forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms throughout the morning in San Antonio. 

Photo – Aiden Pelphrey

Lions Cowgirls battle for the No. 2 seed in the SLC Tournament on Friday

COMMERCE – The No. 2 seed in next week’s Southland Conference Tournament is up for grabs at Cowgirl Field when the Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team faces the McNeese Cowgirls on Friday night. 

WHO: A&M-Commerce at McNeese

WHERE: Lake Charles, La. | Cowgirl Field

WHEN: Friday, October 27 | 6:00 pm

RECORDS: Both teams are 8-6-3 on the season, with the Lions being 6-1-2 in conference play while the Cowgirls are 5-2-2.  

LIVE STATS: https://mcneesesports.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary  

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Only three points separate A&M-Commerce and McNeese entering the final match of the regular season. The Lions can clinch the No. 2 seed in next week’s SLC Tournament in Corpus Christi with a win or a tie, while McNeese must secure the win to leapfrog A&M-Commerce in the standings. Both teams are guaranteed to be in the top three in the final SLC standings.

A win on Friday also gives the Lions a record of 9-6-3, which secures the first winning season at A&M-Commerce for any sport in the Division I era.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE LIONS

The first-round matches of the SLC Tournament begin next Wednesday in Corpus Christi. They will release the full bracket of the SLC Tournament following the conclusion of all games on Friday night.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK’S ACTION

The Lions picked up a 3-0 win over Nicholls last Friday at home and played UIW to a 1-1 tie on Sunday at the Lion Soccer Field, having gone unbeaten in their previous three matches.  

HISTORIC STREAKS END AGAINST THE ISLANDERS

The 2-1 loss to A&M-Corpus Christi on October 13 ended numerous streaks for the Lions. Coming into that match, the Lions had won six in a row, the longest winning streak since 2016.

The Lions were 5-0 in conference play, matching the best start since 2004 and 1999. 

FIRST LOSE AT HOME IN 2023

The Lions lost their first match at home this season when they fell to A&M-Corpus Christi. The five-match unbeaten streak was the longest to start the season since 2017, in which the Lions won their first nine home matches. 

A&M-Commerce finished with a record of 5-1-2 at home this season.

RAMIREZ IS ON FIRE

Kaydence Ramirez (Waxahachie) scored three times last week and extended her scoring streak to seven, earning the SLC Offensive Player of the Week award for the second time this season. She is the conference leader in shots, goals, and points entering the final match of the season.

With Ramirez’ weekly honor last week, the Lions have increased their season total to six weekly honorees. Sophia Dean (Spring – Grand Oaks) has been named Goalkeeper of the Week twice, Nya Mitchell (Dallas – Mesquite Horn) was named Defensive Player of the Week once, and Ramirez was named Offensive Player of the Week on August 29.

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Date	Goalkeeper	Defensive	Offensive
Aug. 22	Makenzie Hall, UIW	Eve Clarkson, UIW	Kelsey Fuller, Southeastern
Aug. 29	Sophia Dean, A&M-Commerce	Ellie-Mae Sanford, UIW	Kaydence Ramirez, A&M-Commerce
Sept. 5	Kennedy Stelling, A&M-Corpus Christi	Lauren Andre, Nicholls	Maggie Murray, A&M-Corpus Christi
Sept. 12	Libe Banuelos, Northwestern State	Rachel Loetzer, A&M-Corpus Christi	Hollie Massey, Lamar
Sept. 19	Nicole Panis, Lamar	Arely Alaniz, Lamar	Cariel Ellis, Lamar
Sept. 26	Jackie Kelly, McNeese	Martine Ellefsen, McNeese	Taylor Spitzer, Northwestern State
Oct. 3	Sophia Dean, A&M-Commerce (2)	Nya Mitchell, A&M-Commerce	Hollie Massey, Lamar (2)
Oct. 10	Nicole Panis, Lamar	Rachel Loetzer, A&M-Corpus Christi	Melissa Storey, A&M-Commerce
Oct. 17	Jackie Kelly, McNeese	Alexi Pitt, McNeese	Hanna Moffatt, Southeastern
Oct. 24	Erica Defferding, UIW	Arely Alaniz, Lamar (2)	Kaydence Ramirez, A&M-Commerce (2)