FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State women’s cross country finished fifth out of 17 teams at the FHSU Tiger Open on Saturday (Oct. 18) at the Sand Plum Nature Trail, just outside Victoria, Kan. Micki Krzesinski led the way for the Tigers in 24th individually.
The Tigers competed in the Gold Division race, which had 143 competitors. The 5K course was very fast on a beautiful sunny morning. The women’s course record was shattered by 26 seconds with Jenna Thurman of Adams State running a time of 17:14, averaging 5:32 per mile. That topped the mark of 17:40 set by Brittany Poole of Northwest Missouri State in 2012.
The Tigers were topped by four Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams, three of which are nationally ranked. The rankings held true as No. 2 Adams State won the race with 33 points, No. 4 Western State finished with 83, and No. 10 UC-Colorado Springs finished with 116. Colorado Mines was fourth with 128 and FHSU was fifth with 159.
Krzesinski covered the course in 18:19, scoring 21 team points. Chelsea Jackson was right with her, finishing 25th overall in 18:20 and scored 22 team points. Alex Keehn was 37th overall in a time of 18:37, scoring 34 points. Ramsey McCarter finished 44th in a time of 18:43, scoring 40, and Amanda Morgan was 46th in 18:47, scoring 42.
Winning the Black Division race as a team was Dodge City Community College. Grasiela Navarro of Pratt Community College won the Black Division individually in a time of 18:38.
FHSU men finish 11th
The Fort Hays State men’s cross country finished 11th at its home meet, the FHSU Tiger Open, on Saturday (Oct. 18) at the Sand Plum Nature Trail, just outside of Victoria, Kan. Ryan Hopkins led the way for FHSU in 45th overall as an individual.
The Tigers competed in the Gold Division race, which had 201 competitors. The course was very fast on a beautiful sunny morning. The men’s course record was shattered by 45 seconds with Ian Butler of Western State running a time of 23:33, averaging 4:44 per mile. That topped the mark of 24:18 set by Naseem Haje of Adams State in 2013.
Hopkins covered the 8K course in a time of 24:53, scoring 32 points in the team standings. Troy Wineinger was 78th overall in 25:31, but scored 49 team points. Seth Parres was 107th in a time of 26:04, scoring 68 team points. Isaac Williams finished 116th in 26:11 and scored 74 team points. Brock Elgin was 125th in a time of 26:17, scoring 82 team points.
Colorado Mines won the Gold Division with a team score of 33. Western State finished second with 45 and Nebraska-Kearney was third with 110. Fort Hays State scored 305 points as a team.
Winning the Black Division race as a team was Allen County Community College. Unattached runner Josh Eberly won individually with a time of 24:11.