FINAL RESULTS

CORPUS CHRISTI – How 'Bout Those Cowboys!!!!
 
The McNeese Cowboy cross country team re-claimed the Southland Conference championship here Friday morning after all five runners who scored the lowest total placed in the top 16, helping guide the Cowboys to an 18-point win for the title.
 
It's the first championship for the Cowboys since 2012 and the ninth overall, the most by any current league team and second-most all-time.
 
In addition, the Cowgirls flirted with a championship of their own, finishing in third place and just six points behind champion Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
"I thought when we ran at Texas A&M a couple of weeks ago, we really showed what we're capable of doing," said head coach Brendon Gilroy who was named the Southland Conference Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year. "The guys got confidence after that meet when they beat some of our former conference members.
 
"On the women's side, we almost had the championship, being just six points away. That's the closest ever for us on the women's side that we've been from winning the title since I've been here.
 
"I'm very proud of this group and how they ran today. Now we'll get ready for the (South Central) regional meet."
 
Gideon Cheplak finished third overall to lead the Cowboys in the 8-kilometer race with a time of 24:38.66. Not far behind was Aaron Gilliam with a sixth place finish at 24:56.76 while Henry Kiplagat placed ninth at 25:09.15.
 
Rounding out the top five scorers for the Cowboys was Jacob Kipkogei in 13^th place with a time of 25:27.56 and Omar El-Fadl, who finished 16^th at 25:49.54.
 
The Cowboys collected 47 points, beating UIW who finished with 65. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was third with 66 points followed by UNO with 93, Houston Baptist 117, Southeastern 128, Nicholls 206 and Northwestern State 220.
 
Other Cowboy finishers saw Elias Loriposia finish 20^th with a time of 26:03.80, Joey Croft (37^th, 26:59.99), and James Hyland (38^th, 27:01.80).
 
In addition to Gilroy's coach award, Kipkogei was named the league's Newcomer of the Year and earned third team all-conference honors. Cheplak picked up first team All-SLC honors after his third place finish while Gilliam and Kiplagat each were awarded with second team accolades.
 
The Cowgirls had three runners place in the top 10 led by Jepkorir's fifth place mark and a time of 21:54.4 to earn first team all-conference honors.
 
Pamela Kosgei finished seventh at 21:59.15 while Alissa Lander placed ninth at 22:03.44.
 
UIW's Abby Gray won the individual title with a time of 21:30.39.
 
Host team Texas A&M-Corpus Christi edged out New Orleans by one point to win the team title, totaling 56 points to UNO's 57. The Cowgirls recorded 62 points for the third-place finish. UIW was fourth with 75 points then Nicholls at 113, Houston Baptist with 157, Southeastern 210 and Northwestern State at 229.
 
Other Cowgirl finishers saw Sorcha Moloney place 17^th with a time of 22:56.51, Bonnie Andres (24^th, 23:15.40), Gladys Jemaiyo (31^st, 23:59.90), Ciara Gilroy (32^nd, 24:01.65), Danna Diaz (34^th, 24:18.50), and Irene Barrerio-Lopez (38^th, 25:19.10).