The St. Thomas men's and women's cross-country teams traveled to San Antonio, TX, to compete in the West Side Classic, hosted by former Red River Athletic Conference and NAIA rival Our Lady of the Lake University. The Saints hosted the meet at the Windcrest Golf Course, a few miles from their campus. The meet featured a challenging field, including NCAA Division I team UT-Rio Grande Valley, NCAA Division II programs Angelo State and Texas A&M International, Midwestern State, and Division III opponents Trinity, Schreiner, Texas Lutheran, and Hardin-Simmons. With only a few weeks before the SCAC Conference Meet, the Celts were happy with the results.
Women's Recap
The St. Thomas women performed strongly on a challenging 6K and somewhat hilly course. Sophomore Alejandra Ramon led the team at 23:43, followed closely by senior leader Samantha Hernandez at 23:59. Sophomore Gizelle Gonzalez continues to impress and placed 3rd for UST at 25:07, while fellow So. Elyssa Rodarte looked strong, finishing at 25:15. Kianna Stamps rounded out the top five for the Celts at 25:31. Senior Elizabeth Stepaniak used the weekend to rest and ensure the team is at full strength for upcoming competition.
Men's Recap
On the men's side, freshman Johnathon Castro had an outstanding race, finishing 6th overall out of 71 runners at 25:58, making him the top Division III runner in the meet. Senior Marc Mendoza performed strongly, securing 10th place at 26:17. Junior Mason McFeeters crossed the line at 26:26, placing 13th overall. Cristian Rios and Diego Moya rounded out the top five scorers for the Celts. The men finished third, ahead of other Division III teams.
Up Next
The Celts have two weeks to prepare for the SCAC Championship Meet on Saturday, November 2, in Shreveport, LA. For updates, please visit www.ustcelts.com or follow @USTathletics and @usttxctf on Instagram.
