COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce cross country teams close out the 2024 season on Friday morning pursuing a Southland Conference Championships at Lake Oaks Park in new Orleans. 

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CHAMPIONSHIPS CENTRAL: https://www.southland.org/tournaments/?id=203&path=cross

The Lions are coming off a historic performance in their last competition prior to the conference championships a couple of weeks ago. The Lion men won the Watson Classic at Mississippi College, which marked the program's first meet win in over five years, while Anete Randma (Tallinn, Estonia) won the women's race for the Lions, becoming the first Lion to win an individual race in the Division I era, with the women taking fifth as a team. Randma finished first for the Lions at last year's SLC championships. 

In the team win at the Watson Classic, the Lion men were paced by Josh Shanahan (Noosaville, Australia) took third in the race, followed by Casey Novelo (Bedford - Trinity) in fourth, Alex Speer (Robinson) in fifth, and Nicholas Deutsch (Frisco) in seventh. Speer has been the top finisher at the conference championships for A&M-Commerce each of the past two seasons. 

A&M-Corpus Christi is the defending champion on the men's side, while the Lion men finished sixth a year ago at the conference championships. On the women's side, Lamar won the SLC crown a year ago and the Lions finished eighth. 

The women's race is slated for 8:30 a.m. on Friday, followed by the men's race at 9:30 a.m.