The LSU cross country teams will travel to Lake Charles on Saturday to participate in McNeese State’s Cowboy Stampede for the first time.
LSU coach Mark Elliott hopes to see continued improvement after strong showings in the first two meets.
The men’s and women’s teams finished second and fourth, respectively, at the LSU Invitational on Sept. 25. Both teams began the new season with second place finishes Sept. 18 in Starkville, Miss.
Elliott said the Cowboy Stampede will be good preparation for the upcoming Chile Pepper Invitational and Southeastern Conference Championships.
“You’re trying to see where they are week in and week out,” Elliott said. “The McNeese meet, we’re not going to place much of an emphasis on it. It’s just another competition we’re hoping to do well at.”
Junior Richard Chautin posted the best men’s time in the first two meets, including a second place finish at the LSU Invitational with a time of 25 minutes, 58.9 seconds. He also won the individual title at the Mississippi State
Invitational.
Junior Laura Carleton led all female runners at the LSU Invitational with a time of 21 minutes, 24.28 seconds, earning a sixth place finish. The Lake Charles native will return home for the Cowboy Stampede.
“I’m excited,” Carleton said. “I guess it’s like having two home meets. All my family will be there, so there will probably be a lot more fans there than usual.”
Carleton expects her familiarity with the course to give her a homefield advantage over the competition.
“It is nice to run courses you have already run, especially if you like the course,” Carleton said. “For me, I’m familiar with the area, and I actually ran in the same area for some high school races.”
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Contact Hunter Paniagua at [email protected]