Cross country finishes middle of the pack in Shockers’ first AAC Tournament

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The Shockers’ men’s and women’s cross country teams were the first to debut in an American Athletic Conference tournament.

Capping the end to their inaugural season in the AAC, the Shocker men finished fifth and the women finished sixth in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Senior Gage Garcia led the Shocker men finishing No. 22 in the 8k, while freshman Winny Koskei led the Shocker women in the 6k, finishing No. 18.

Zack Penrod (26), Dray Carson (27), Ben Flowers (36) and Joe Harter (43) represented the Shocker men in the top 50.

Head Coach Kirk Hunter revealed that Carson was selected as an alternate after junior Reno Law rolled his ankle just a day before the AAC tournament.

Tulsa won the men’s championship for the fourth consecutive year.

Gabriela Reyna (31), Jordan Maestas (33), and Yazmine Wright (39) joined Koskei (18) in the top 50 of the women’s championship.

Connecticut won the women’s championship.

Hunter attributed the success to his underclassmen, who he noted represented seven of the nine runners.

Rebekah Topham, WSU’s best distance-runner, will return a season veteran to Hunter’s squad next year. Topham, who won a cross country tournament earlier this season, running unattached, elected to redshirt for cross country and track. She said earlier this year she planned to focus on individual goals, such as making the NCAA Championship for track and field.