Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Women, McNeese Men Win 2021 Southland Cross Country Championships
CORPUS CHRISTI- Texas. – The 2021 Southland Conference Cross Country Championships were completed Friday morning on the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi campus. The host Islanders captured their sixth women’s team title, nabbing 56 points in the team standings. McNeese earned the men’s crown as the Cowboys registered four finishers among the top 15, sealing its ninth team title in program history.
UIW senior Abby Gray captured the women’s individual championship, crossing the finish line with a 21:30.39 in the women’s 6k event and averaging a 5.47-mile pace. Southeastern’s Bradley Makuvire earned the men’s Athlete of the Year title with a 24:11.44 first-place finish in the men’s 8k race.
After capturing the women’s individual title, Gray garners women’s Southland Athlete of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors. Cardinals’ Ozlynn Urias is the women’s Freshman of the Year after a 20th-place finish and the Islanders’ Brent Erickson was named the women’s Coach of the Year.
Gray (UIW), Alex Weir (UNO), Arina Kleshchukova (UNO), Jessica Rabius (HBU), and Aurelia Jepkorir (McNeese) fill out the women’s first team all-conference roster. A total of six schools were represented on the women’s all-conference teams.
Makuvire earned male Athlete of the Year honors after crossing the finish line first, McNeese’s Jacob Kipkogei was named Newcomer of the Year and head coach Brendon Gilroy took home the men’s Coach of the Year award. A&M-Corpus Christi’s Kelvin Kimaiyo finished second overall, earning men’s Freshman of the Year honors.
The Islanders registered three men’s all-conference honorees, led by first-teamers Kimaiyo and Kipngeno. Southeastern’s Makuvire, McNeese’s Gideon Cheplak and HBU’s Ben Drew filled out the remaining three spots on the men’s first team all-conference roster. There were six schools represented among the men’s all-conference teams.
For athletes who qualify, the 2021 NCAA South Central Regional qualifying race will take place Friday, Nov. 12 at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco, Texas, hosted by Baylor. The 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships will take place at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla., on Nov. 20.
2021 Southland Championship Team Finishes:
| Women |
Men |
| 1. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
1. McNeese |
| 2. New Orleans |
2. UIW |
| 3. McNeese |
3. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| 4. UIW |
4. New Orleans |
| 5. Nicholls |
5. HBU |
| 6. HBU |
6. Southeastern |
| 7. Southeastern |
7. Nicholls |
| 8. Northwestern State |
8. Northwestern State |
Individual Superlatives:
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
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’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 |
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 |