The NCAA collegiate cross country season continued over the weekend of November 6th to 8th, with NCAA Division II conference championships providing the main Irish interest.
With regional qualifying races approaching, Irish runners were back in action in South Dakota and North Carolina. Here is how they got on and what their performances meant for their universities in the team standings.
Keane Leads Adams State to Rocky Mountain Silver
Claragh Keane of DMP AC was Adams State University’s first finisher at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in Rapid City, South Dakota, on Saturday November 7th.
Keane finished seventh in the women’s 6km at Hart Ranch in 21:14.9, supplying the university’s lowest individual score of the race.
Her seven points helped Adams State secure second place with 55 points. With its five scorers finishing seventh, ninth, tenth, 12th and 17th, the university finished 15 points behind winners Western Colorado and nine ahead of third placed University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
Colorado School of Mines athlete Emily LaMena won the individual title in 20:38.2.
Full Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships Results
Nugent Helps Lenoir Rhyne Secure Best Conference Finish Since 2012
Danny Nugent of Ace AC contributed to Lenoir Rhyne University’s best South Atlantic Conference men’s team result in 14 years at Wingate, North Carolina, on Saturday November 7th.
Nugent finished 24th in the men’s 8km in 25:02.9 and was the university’s fourth scorer. His overall position counted for 19 points in the team standings, with runners beyond each team’s first seven excluded from the points calculation.
Lenoir Rhyne finished third with 85 points, six clear of Catawba in fourth. Hosts Wingate won with 18 points, followed by Anderson University on 58.
It was Lenoir Rhyne’s highest finish at the championships since also taking third in 2012, giving Nugent and his team mates a podium finish ahead of the NCAA Southeast Regional on Saturday November 21st.
Full South Atlantic Conference Championships Results
Full Irish Athlete Results
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships, Saturday November 7th
Women’s 6km
Claragh Keane - Adams State University (DMP AC) - 7th - 21:14.9
South Atlantic Conference Championships, Saturday November 7th
Men’s 8km
Danny Nugent - Lenoir Rhyne University (Ace AC) - 24th - 25:02.9
Image: Ryan Withem
