FULL RESULTS | PHOTO GALLERY (SOUTHLAND)
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The New Orleans cross country program put together another record-setting championship meet as the women placed second overall and the men followed them up with a fourth-place showing of their own as the Privateers competed at the 2021 Southland Conference Cross Country Championships on Friday.
The women's second-place performance set the new school records for best finish and lowest point total scored (57 points) since the Privateers joined the Southland. The second-place finish is the second-best performance in school history at any conference championship meet, trailing just behind the Privateers' 2001 Sun Belt Championship-winning squad. UNO's 57 points scored was also the second-best mark posted at a conference championships all-time and trailed the early 2000's championship squad by just six points.
"I am extremely proud of how the women responded to the pressure," associate head coach
Brock Moreaux said. "We knew that if we came in and did our job, it would be a close race and it indeed was."
"Runner-up by one point hurts a bit, but it just goes to show how much hard work the ladies have put in over the last three years," Moreaux added. "They went for it and fought hard and that is all we can ask."
Not to be overshadowed, the men's squad also had a record-setting day as the Privateers tied their best finish at a Southland Championship in program history. The team's 93 points set a new program best since UNO joined the conference and the total was also the lowest the squad has ever posted at a conference championships meet in school history.
"The men had a hard-fought day as well," Moreaux concluded. "We needed to be collectively in sync today if we wanted a shot at top-two and the cards didn't fall that way today. From 11th and 12th place in 2018 to fourth and second in 2021, this has been a tremendous journey for this crew and I am confident that their time will come. Until then, we will celebrate another year of bettering ourselves and the program and get back to work for more."
THE BASICS
RESULTS: Men: 4th (93 points) | Women: 2nd (57 points)
MEET: 2021 Southland Conference Championships
LOCATION: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – Corpus Christi, Texas
NOTABLES
- The New Orleans women put on a show to start the day as they placed their top-three runners into the top-eight of the meet. In her first year with the program,
Alexandra Weir continued to show she is a force in the conference as she paced the Privateers with a new personal best of 21:37.56 with her runner-up performance.
Arina Kleshchukova may be getting close to the end of her historic UNO cross career, but she added another huge podium finish to her resume with a third-place finish.
Ariana Jimenez rounded out the top-three for the Privateers as she claimed eighth overall. Weir and Kleshchukova both earned First Team All-Conference nods while Jimenez was awarded with a Second Team All-Conference selection.
-
Anna Dohmen (19th) and
Anna Martin (25th and a huge PR of 23:15.48) rounded out the UNO scoring attack while
Allie Louis (29th) and
Jade Talazac (37th) completed the top-seven.
- On the men's side,
Kolyn Saltzman led the group with a seventh-place finish. He earned Second Team All-Conference with the performance, the third straight year he has picked up an all-conference honor.
-
Cade Litolff was a Third Team All-Conference honoree after he took 15th overall.
-
Jaden Forester (19th),
Kristian Oatman (24th) and
Alvaro Canarte (28th) made up the rest of the Privateers top-five, while
Jose Rodriguez (34th) and
Gary Sandrock (39th) rounded out the top-seven.
- Only two Privateers set personal bests on what was a very challenging course; Weir and Martin.
- Both the New Orleans men's and women's cross country squads have been on a mission under associated head coach Moreaux and Director of Track & Field and Cross Country
Brian Johnson. Since the two have joined the program in 2018, the men have finished 10
th (231 points), 10
th (206), fourth (113) and fourth (93) while the women didn't finish with a team score in 2018 and have gone on to take 11
th (274), fourth (112) and now second (57), respectively.
NEXT UP
The Privateers will get a short chance to recharge before they head out for the South Central Regional Championships, hosted by Baylor, at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco, Texas on Friday, Nov. 12.
For student-athletes who qualify, the 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships will take place at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla. on Saturday, Nov. 20.
NEW ORLEANS MEN'S RESULTS
7. Kolyn Saltzman - 24:56.80
15. Cade Litolff - 25:44.10
19. Jaden Forester - 26:03.75
24. Kristian Oatman - 26:23.84
28. Alvaro Canarte - 26:44.93
34. Jose Rodriguez - 26:57.55
39. Gary Sandrock – 27:08.97
45. Alec Snell - 28:12.00
NEW ORLEANS WOMEN'S RESULTS
2. Alexandra Weir - 21:37.56*
3. Arina Kleshchukova - 21:43.25
8. Ariana Jimenez - 22:02.21
19. Anna Dohmen - 23:04.64
25. Anna Martin - 23:15.48*
29. Allie Louis - 23:45.50
37. Jade Talazac - 24:48.63
43. Jantrell Drakes - 26:05.16
(* - New Personal Best)
MEN'S TEAM RESULTS
1. McNeese (47 points)
2. UIW (65)
3. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (66)
4. New Orleans (93)
5. HBU (117)
6. Southeastern (128)
7. Nicholls (206)
8. Northwestern State (220)
WOMEN'S TEAM RESULTS
1. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (56 points)
2. New Orleans (57)
3. McNeese (62)
4. UIW (75)
5. Nicholls (113)
6. HBU (157)
7. Southeastern (210)
8. Northwestern State (229)
2021 SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Men:
Freshman of the Year – Kelvin Kimaiyo, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Newcomer of the Year – Jacob Kipkogei, McNeese
Coach of the Year – Brendon Gilroy, McNeese
Athlete of the Year – Bradley Makuvire, SLU
Women:
Freshman of the Year – Ozlynn Urias, UIW
Newcomer of the Year – Abby Gray, UIW
Coach of the Year – Brent Ericksen, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Athlete of the Year – Abby Gray, UIW
Men's All-Conference Teams
First Team
| Name |
Class |
School |
| Bradley Makuvire |
Jr. |
Southeastern |
| Kelvin Kimaiyo |
Fr. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Gideon Cheplak |
Jr. |
McNeese |
| Dennis Kipngeno |
Jr. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Ben Drew |
Sr. |
HBU |
Second Team
| Name |
Class |
School |
| Aaron Gilliam |
Jr. |
McNeese |
| Kolyn Saltzman |
So. |
New Orleans |
| Armando Villareal |
So. |
UIW |
| Henry Kiplagat |
Sr. |
McNeese |
| Griffin Neal |
Fr. |
UIW |
Third Team
| Name |
Class |
School |
| Tristan Stellmach |
Gr. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Christopher Daniels |
Fr. |
UIW |
| Jacob Kipkogei |
So. |
McNeese |
| Stephen Aguilar |
Sr. |
HBU |
| Cade Litolff |
So. |
New Orleans |
Women's All-Conference Teams
First Team
| Name |
Class |
School |
| Abby Gray |
Sr. |
UIW |
| Alex Weir |
So. |
New Orleans |
| Arina Kleshchukova |
Sr. |
New Orleans |
| Jessica Rabius |
Sr. |
HBU |
| Aurelia Jepkorir |
Fr. |
McNeese |
Second Team
| Name |
Class |
School |
| Faith Bett |
Sr. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Pamela Kosgei |
Jr. |
McNeese |
| Ariana Jimenez |
Fr. |
New Orleans |
| Alissa Lander |
Sr. |
McNeese |
| Quin Johnson |
Gr. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Third Team
| Name |
Class |
School |
| Valentina Campos |
Gr. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Elsa Rijstra |
Jr. |
Nicholls |
| Sharon Kiprop |
So. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Ceren Yilmaz |
Jr. |
Nicholls |
| Maryn Demaio |
So. |
UIW |
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
Keep up to date with everything New Orleans Cross Country and Track & Field. Follow
@PrivateersTFXC on Twitter,
@PrivateersTFXC on Instagram, like
/PrivateersTFXC on Facebook and subscribe to the
PrivateerAthletics YouTube channel.
