After starting the season two weeks ago, the LSU men’s and women’s cross country teams will compete at the Rice Invitational at the Rice Intramural Fields in Houston, Texas tonight.
“Rice will be interesting because Texas A&M will be there and they’re a good team,” said senior Andria Aguilar. “I think we have made a lot of improvement since last year, so we are ready to compete for the top spot.”
The team started the season at the McNeese Cross Country Relay in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where the Lady Tigers B team lead by Aguilar and sophomore Morgan Schuetz secured a first place finish in the 6k race.
The A team comprising sophomores Ashley Welborn and Chaiss Matthews came in second place.
The men’s A team consisting of senior Philip Primeaux and junior Travis Pope finished in second place, nine seconds off the lead in the 8k race.
Former Olympic runner and current cross country coach Khadevis Robinson said that while the Tigers performed well at the McNeese Relay, the team is still a work in progress.
“We just have to continue to get better. We have an extremely young team. We are still building a team up,” Robinson said. “I think they are welcoming the challenge. Right now I am pleased with the effort they are putting in.”
Robinson was especially pleased with the freshmen performance in the previous meet, specifically Jack Wilkes and Bryan Stamey.
Wilkes alluded that the upperclassmen have lended a helping hand in the quick progression of the newcomers, including himself.
“The team has really come together in just the last few weeks that we have been together,” Wilkes said. “It has really helped having the older guys that have been here and done it all showing us the way. Following their lead and training with them every single day has really given us an advantage. I have high expectations for us.”
Robinson expects his runners to perform considerably better in Houston, especially considering they have begun cross country specific training since the last meet.
The Lady Tigers will begin at 6:15 p.m. CDT, while the Tigers begin at 6:45 p.m. CDT.