Both the Sam Houston State men's and women's cross country teams placed third in the first meet of the 2009 season Friday at the Morriss Invitational hosted by the University of Houston.

Kylie Fitzgerald was the top finisher for the women, placing sixth on the 3200 meter course with a time of 12:11. Sara Collazos (8th 12:54) and Victoria Gemeny (10th 13:02) also placed in the top 10.

Other women's finishers for Sam Houston included Haleigh Putska 12th 13:16, Haley Peddy 17th 13:29 and Megan Williams 21st 13:57.

Houston won the women's team title with 19 points, followed by Houston Baptist with 51 and Sam Houston with 53.

Patrick Krol led the Bearkat men, finishing 7th with a mark of 15:55. Other Sam Houston men's finishes included Blake Woolums 7th 16:03, Julius Michael 12th 16:12, Clint Anders 14th 16:14; Joey D'Eramo 15th  16:15; Travis Kocurek 22nd 16:52; Austin Brown 25th 18:17 and Ray Venegas 26th 19:38.

Rice won the men's race with 31 points followed by Houston 43, Sam Houston 58 and Houston Baptist 81.

"I thought both teams started the race a bit to conservatively in the first mile, but did a great job of working their way through the pack in the last have of their respective races," Sam Houston distance coach Jesse Parker said. "Redshirt Freshman Patrick Krol and true Freshman Kylie Fitzgerald both had good races, but it was obvious in the collegiate cross country debuts they were worried about starting too quickly and held back a bit too much in the first half.

"I don't think today's races are any indication of how fit we are right now. As we get some experience in the longer cross country races the next several weeks I think we'll be able to really show what we are capable of."

The Bearkats will be competing at the Texas A&M University Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, September 12 in College Station.

WOMEN

3200 Meter Run

INDIVIDUAL

Winner                 Starla Garcia                       Houston                               12:11

6th                         Kylie Fitzgerald                  Sam Houston State         12:44

8th                         Sara Collazos                      Sam Houston State         12:54

10th                       Victoria Gemeny              Sam Houston State         13:02

12th                       Haleigh Pustka                  Sam Houston State         13:16

17th                       Haley Peddy                       Sam Houston State         13:29

21st                        Megan Williams                                Sam Houston State         13:57

TEAM

1st          Houston                               19 points

2nd        Houston Baptist                                51 points

3rd         Sam Houston State         53 points

MEN

4800 Meter Run

INDIVIDUAL

Winner                 Nate Pineda                       Houston                               15:30

7th                         Patrick Krol                         Sam Houston State         15:55

10th                       Blake Woolums                 Sam Houston State         16:03

12th                       Julius Michael                    Sam Houston State         16:12

14th                       Clint Anders                       Sam Houston State         16:14

15th                       Joey D'Eramo                    Sam Houston State         16:15

22nd                      Travis Kocurek                   Sam Houston State         16:52

25th                       Austin Brown                     Sam Houston State         18:17

26th                       Ray Venegas                      Sam Houston State         19:38

TEAM

1st          Rice                                        31 points

2nd        Houston                               43 points

3rd         Sam Houston State         58 points

4th         Houston Baptist                                81 points