Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys, Cowgirls Ranked Second in Preseason Regional Poll
August 27, 2018 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER—The Oklahoma State cross country teams found themselves near the top of the Midwest Region in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association preseason poll, the organization announced Monday.
Both the men's and women's cross country teams are at No. 2, matching where both teams finished at the Midwest Regional last year.
Despite the loss of veteran runners, the Cowboys still return a solid group of young runners.
Isai Rodriguez comes back for his second season in Stillwater. In his freshman season, Rodriguez found success outdoors, winning the 5,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational and coming in third place at the Big 12 Championships in the same event. The sophomore figures to play a key role to the Cowboys' success.
Other key returners include Ryan Smeeton, who finished ninth at the Big 12 Cross Country Championships a year ago, two-time All-Big 12 honoree Sukhi Khosla and Alec Haines, who is coming off an All-Big 12 performance in the most recent outdoor season.
Felix Kosgei and Ayrton Ledesma Fuentes is a newcomer to the men's squad. Kosgei is transferring in from South Plains, where he has come in fifth at each of the past two NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and Ledesma Fuentes has two NJCAA Division I titles under his belt (outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase and indoor 3,000 meters.
The Cowgirls are led by a returning core of Ariane Ballner, Sinclaire Johnson and Abbie Hetherington. Ballner is the reigning Big 12 1,500-meter champion, Johnson found herself in Eugene to conclude her outdoor season and Hetherington is a five-time All-Big 12 honoree.
Molly Born is a freshman poised to contribute this season. She won the KSHSAA 6A State Championships in cross country last year and followed up with a win in the NXR Heartland Regional Championships. Born also was named the 2017 Gatorade Girl's Cross Country Runner of the Year.
The Cowgirls bring aboard another Gatorade Girl's Cross Country Runner of the Year in Rilee Rigdon. She is the 2018 Oklahoma winner of the award. She won the Class 6A state meet last fall and beat the field by a massive 15.74 seconds.
Both the men's and women's cross country teams open their season Saturday at the Hurricane Invitational in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The meet will feature four teams: Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tulsa.
The men will compete in a four-mile race at 9 a.m. and the women will run a two-mile race at 9:30 a.m. The meet will be run at the Mohawk Soccer Complex.
Oklahoma State was the previous host of the season-opening event, but due to the construction on the Oklahoma State Cross Country Course, Tulsa will host this year's kick-off event.
Full rankings can be found at www.ustfccca.org.
Both the men's and women's cross country teams are at No. 2, matching where both teams finished at the Midwest Regional last year.
Despite the loss of veteran runners, the Cowboys still return a solid group of young runners.
Isai Rodriguez comes back for his second season in Stillwater. In his freshman season, Rodriguez found success outdoors, winning the 5,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational and coming in third place at the Big 12 Championships in the same event. The sophomore figures to play a key role to the Cowboys' success.
Other key returners include Ryan Smeeton, who finished ninth at the Big 12 Cross Country Championships a year ago, two-time All-Big 12 honoree Sukhi Khosla and Alec Haines, who is coming off an All-Big 12 performance in the most recent outdoor season.
Felix Kosgei and Ayrton Ledesma Fuentes is a newcomer to the men's squad. Kosgei is transferring in from South Plains, where he has come in fifth at each of the past two NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and Ledesma Fuentes has two NJCAA Division I titles under his belt (outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase and indoor 3,000 meters.
The Cowgirls are led by a returning core of Ariane Ballner, Sinclaire Johnson and Abbie Hetherington. Ballner is the reigning Big 12 1,500-meter champion, Johnson found herself in Eugene to conclude her outdoor season and Hetherington is a five-time All-Big 12 honoree.
Molly Born is a freshman poised to contribute this season. She won the KSHSAA 6A State Championships in cross country last year and followed up with a win in the NXR Heartland Regional Championships. Born also was named the 2017 Gatorade Girl's Cross Country Runner of the Year.
The Cowgirls bring aboard another Gatorade Girl's Cross Country Runner of the Year in Rilee Rigdon. She is the 2018 Oklahoma winner of the award. She won the Class 6A state meet last fall and beat the field by a massive 15.74 seconds.
Both the men's and women's cross country teams open their season Saturday at the Hurricane Invitational in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The meet will feature four teams: Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tulsa.
The men will compete in a four-mile race at 9 a.m. and the women will run a two-mile race at 9:30 a.m. The meet will be run at the Mohawk Soccer Complex.
Oklahoma State was the previous host of the season-opening event, but due to the construction on the Oklahoma State Cross Country Course, Tulsa will host this year's kick-off event.
Full rankings can be found at www.ustfccca.org.
Players Mentioned
Middle Distance
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Middle Distance
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Middle Distance
/ Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
Middle Distance
/ Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
Distance
/ Cowboy Cross Country & Track
Distance
/ Cowboy Cross Country & Track
Middle Distance
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