Cross country freshman might bring success in Saturday’s competition
Cross country runs at the Cowboy Jamboree Saturday, the oldest consecutive cross country race in America.
By Danny Gillham
Sports Editor

The cross country team heads north this weekend to Stillwater, Okla. to run in the Cowboy Jamboree at Oklahoma State University.

The Frog squad is loaded with youth. Of the 15 runners on the men’s and women’s teams, seven are freshman. However the team has had success. So far two of their runners (sophomore Jackson Langat and freshman Alayne Thompson) have earned Conference USA Cross Country Athlete of the Week this season.

“The new people we brought in are running very well,” head coach Derek Koonts said. “We just don’t have a lot of numbers. I think that will be the one weakness this year, and there is nothing we can do about it. All we can do is bring in quality people each year, and eventually the numbers will get to where we need them to be.”

This is the 66th annual Jamboree, the oldest cross country race run consecutively in the United States.

“It’s very prestigious with great competition,” Koonts said, “and the cream will rise to the top.”

To add to the stiff competition, the course is no flat track. The course has seven hills, with six of the seven between 50 and 80 meters high.

One runner who looks to take advantage of the course is Thompson. A native of Jenks, Okla., Thompson said she’ll have extra motivation when she runs on Saturday.

“Being from Oklahoma, a lot my friends and family are going to be there,” Thompson said, “I’m looking forward to it.”

The race is slated to have 25 different schools, with 378 total runners.

Koonts has high expectations for the team.

“I think Jackson should be in the top three,” Koonts said, “and we should have three girls in the top 20.”