The SouthernUniversity men and women’s cross country team failed to capture the 2004Southwestern Athletic Championship on the campus of Prairie View A&MUniversity in Houston on Monday.
The defendingSWAC champion men’s team placed in fifth while the women came in seventhoverall. That was the same men’sJaguar team that had ran a perfect meet on Oct. 9, in Huntsville, Ala., for thefirst time in Southern’s history but couldn’t bring the same performance to thechampionship meet. The record breaking team that finished one-thru-fiveconsisted of sophomore Erik Heneghan, junior Darnell Parker, freshmanKristopher Watson, junior Anthony Lee, and freshman Landan Gibson.
“It was pouringdown raining and it was cold,” Lee said. ”It’s not a factor that we loss, everybody just did what they could do.When people lose, you don’t know what to say. GSU won, they just had the better team that day. We prepare all season for onerace.”
Grambling StateUniversity captured first place on the men and women’s side. Alabama Statefinished second in the men’s whileArkansas-Pine Bluff placed second for the women.
The men8-kilometer race started at 9 a.m. and the women’s 5-kilometer race started at11 a.m.
“Despite theweather and that we lost a girl,” said senior women’s leader ErikkaThomas. “I came into the meetthinking I’d come in the top five, my time wasn’t as good but considering mycircumstances I did well, we have to put that behind us because we’re gettingready for indoor.”
Thomas was namedto the All-SWAC First Team. Shefinished in fourth place.
The individualfinishing times were not available at press time.
