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
