HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – In their last competition of the regular season, the Texas A&M University-Commerce men's and women's cross country teams competed in the Chargers XC Invitational at John Hunt Park on Saturday morning. The meet was hosted by Alabama-Huntsville.
 
The men took 21^st in the race and the women took 28^th. Pittsburg State won the men's team title, while Lee University (Tenn.) took home the women's team title.
 
MEN
In his first race of this fall, Nicodemus Rotich (Eldoret, Kenya) paced the Lions with a time of 25:23.33 in the eight-kilometer race. He finished 71^st overall. Alex Speer (Robinson) finished second on the team with a time of 25:34.08.
 
Tanner Townsend (Royse City) raced to a time of 25:47.93. Casey Novelo (Burleson – Trinity) followed with a time of 26:48.43, Anthony Gonzales (Desoto) clocked in a time of 27:07.29 and Jan Lenfert raced to a time of 27:13.84.
 
To round out the Lion contingent, Chris Navarrette (Laredo – Lyndon B. Johnson) timed 27:20.43, Chris Flores (Rocksprings) timed 27:31.34, Marshall Pate (Kaufman) timed 27:50.28, Nicholas Deutsch (Frisco) timed 27:56.61, Joshua Schutter (Rowlett – Sachse) ran a time of 28:31.13, Mykel Smith (Fort Worth – North Crowley) clocked 29:03.95, and Colten Van Voorhis (Prosper – Rock Hill) timed 30:29.53.
 
Ryan Riddle of Missouri Southern raced to the fastest time on the men's side, he timed 23:47.76.
 
WOMEN
Five women competed for the Lions on Saturday in the five-kilometer race. Katelyn Matthews (Burleson – Mansfield Legacy) ran a time of 19:43.60 for the fastest time on the team. Alondra Campa (Kaufman) followed behind Matthews with a time of 20:17.82.
 
Evelyn Brown (Paris) finished third on the team with a time of 20:48.27. Yenifer Martinez (Irving - Nimitz) and Edith Branch (Denton – Lake Dallas) rounded out the Lions with marks of 21:04.53 and 21:23.16, respectively.
 
Celine Ritter won the individual crown with a time of 16:47.09.
 
UP NEXT
A&M-Commerce takes on the rest of the Lone Star Conference foes in Lawton, Oklahoma on October 23 for the LSC Championships. The championship race is hosted by Cameron University.