TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In their first meet in over 15 months, the New Orleans men's and women's cross country programs posted impressive showings at the Florida State XC Winter Classic as the men came from behind to capture the men's title and the women took fourth overall at the Apalachee Regional Park on Friday.
THE BASICS
RESULTS: Men: 1st (46 Points) | Women: 4th (126 Points)
MEET: Florida State Winter XC Classic
LOCATION: Apalachee Regional Park – Tallahassee, Fla.
NOTABLES
- It was one of the closest cross country races in recent memory at New Orleans as the Privateers found themselves in a back-and-forth battle with Southland foe Southeastern in the men's gold 8000-meter race. The Privateers got out to an extremely fast lead, but the Lions caught them at the 2.1K meter mark. New Orleans regained a slight edge at both the 3K and 4K marks before Southeastern roared back to take a six-point lead at 5K. The Lions held their edge by just a single point at both the 6K and 7K splits before the Privateers closed hard at the end of the race to win by two points.
- It was the first win for the Privateers since the men won the title at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Cross Country Festival back on Sept. 14, 2019. It is the third victory for the New Orleans men over the past two seasons, a mark that bests the win total from the 2011-2018 campaigns (two) combined.
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Kolyn Saltzman led the way for New Orleans with his 12th-place finish but it truly was a team-effort as freshman
Jaden Forester was right behind in 15th.
Cade Litolff,
David Hidalgo (who made a huge late-race surge) and
Julian Silva all finished within the top-28 to close out the team title.
- The new-look women's group was also very competitive as the Privateers finished fourth overall in the gold 6000-meter race.
Arina Kleshchukova paced the team with her fifth-place finish.
Anna Dohmen and
Ariana Jimenez each finished in the top-50 at Nos. 35 and 50, respectively.
Amelia Bretz and
Anna Martin rounded out the scoring attack in 64th and 66th.
- Saltzman's 25:22.8 performance ranks fourth all-time in school history at 8K.
- Forester's 25:26.2 slots him at eighth all-time in the 8K and is the fastest time ran in the event by a freshman in program history at the distance.
- Kleshchukova posted the eighth-best time at 6K in school history with her mark of 21:30.0. She now owns the second, third, eighth and ninth-fastest performances at the distance all-time.
- New Orleans set eight new personal bests in total, with four each coming from the men's and women's sides.
DISTANCE COACH BROCK MOREAUX BREAKS DOWN THE WIN
UP NEXT
The Privateers have less than two weeks before they toe the line at the Southland Conference XC Championships, set for Monday, Feb. 15 at Oak Knoll Country Club in Hammond, La.
NEW ORLEANS MEN'S RESULTS
12. Saltzman – 25:22.8
15. Forrester – 25:26.2*
22. Litolff – 25:43.1*
26. Hidalgo – 25:54.9
28. Silva – 26:01.8*
31. Oatman – 26:05.2*
NEW ORLEANS WOMEN'S RESULTS
5. Kleshchukova – 21:30.0
35. Dohmen – 23:24.2*
50. Jimenez – 23:55.2*
64. Bretz – 24:30.7*
66. Martin – 24:54.7
68. Hedrick – 25:09.8*
72. Louis – 25:21.1
TOP-FIVE MEN'S SCORES
1. New Orleans – 46
2. Southeastern – 48
3. Youngstown State – 60
4. Tennessee Tech – 96
5. North Florida - 113
TOP-FIVE WOMEN'S SCORES
1. Colorado - 22
2. North Florida - 76
3. Youngstown State - 107
4. New Orleans - 126
5. Jacksonville – 134
(* - New Personal Best)
