COMMERCE – Texas A&M University-Commerce freshman Nicodemus Rotich recorded one of the quickest times in Lion cross country history, winning his second collegiate race with a time of 24:59.9 in the East Texas Shootout at Centennial Park on Friday evening.

POST-RACE COMMENTS FROM COACH TRENTON PHELPS

 
MEN'S RACE
Defending Lone Star Conference Runner and Freshman of the Week Rotich (Eldoret, Kenya) won the 8-kilometer race by just over 22 seconds over DBU's Noah Metzger to go two-for-two in collegiate cross country races.
 
The Lions took third on the team leaderboard with 66 points behind UT Tyler's 32 points and Dallas Baptist's 48 points.
 
Oscar Leyva (Sherman) earned a top ten finish in sixth place at 25:41.4, improving by a minute and five seconds over last week's time at DBU.
 
Timon Kemboi (Eldoret, Kenya) and Tanner Townsend (Royse City) were consecutive placers in the top 20, with Kemboi placing 17^th at 26:10.9 and Townsend placing 18^th at 26:13.6.
 
Cooper Miller (Big Spring) placed 27^th at 27:01.0 and Marshall Pate (Kaufman) placed 35^th at 27:48.06.
 
TEAM SCORES
1. UT Tyler, 32
2. Dallas Baptist, 48
3. A&M-COMMERCE, 66
4. Cameron, 82
5. Jacksonville College, 154
6. Arkansas-Rich Mountain, 165
7. Central Baptist, 214
 
WOMEN'S RACE
LeeAsha Madison (Lancaster) led the Lions – who had four individuals competing in the 5-kilometer race - with a time of 21:10.3 to finish in the top 20 in 18^th place.
 
Yenifer Martinez (Irving – Nimitz) was also in the top 20 in 19^th place at 21:14.7, followed by Kaitlyn King (Frisco – Wakeland) in 22^nd place at 21:50.6 and Evelyn Brown (Paris) in 24^th at 21:57.4.
 
UPCOMING
The race marks the halfway point of the season for A&M-Commerce, who will next compete in the Angelo State Blue & Gold Classic on Friday, October 16, in San Angelo.