Junior Lucy Ndungu nabbed a runner-up trophy at the American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships in Greenville, North Carolina, as the Wichita State women’s team placed fifth out of 14 schools.
Meanwhile, the men’s team, led by senior Jackson Caldwell, placed fourth out of 12.
Runners who placed in the top 15 at the event earned a place on the all-conference list. On the women’s side, Ndungu qualified with a 20:45.8 time in the 6k. Junior Miranda Dick finished seventh with a strong final stretch, running a 21:09.6 — a new personal best by 21 seconds.
This is the sixth consecutive year the Shockers finished with multiple all-conference placements on the women’s side.
Other top performances for the women’s team include junior Sarah Bertry, who finished 27th with a 21:52.2 time, senior Lubna Aldulaimi came across the line 31st in 21:57.8 and a true freshman Isabelle Hartnett, placed 62nd with a 22:56.2 time.
The women’s team had 128 points. Tulane won their first women’s title in the AAC with 42 points.
On the men’s side, Caldwell nabbed the final all-conference spot, finishing 15th and breaking the Wichita State 8k record with a 23:31.7 time. Juniors Zander Cobb (23:42.8), Adam Rzentkowski (23:43.5) and Trey Rios (23:46.9) followed close behind, finishing 18th, 20th, and 21st, respectively. Rios set a new personal-best time in the 8k.
Wichita State tallied 107 points on the men’s side, while Tulsa won their 10th consecutive AAC title with 38 points.
On Nov. 10, the Shockers will race in Stillwater, Oklahoma, at the NCAA Midwest Regional. The top runners from that event will qualify for the NCAA Championships.
