RICHARDSON, Texas – The Eastern New Mexico men’s cross country team was recently selected to finish tenth in the newly expanded Lone Star Conference as the league’s preseason poll was announced by the conference office on Thursday.
The poll was voted upon by the league’s head coaches, sports information directors and select members of the media.
The Hounds received 255 votes, just five votes back of conference newcomer St. Edward’s and two votes ahead of rival UT Permian Basin.
With a big turnover on the squad entering the 2019 season, the Greyhounds will be relying on several newcomers to make a big impact.
Headlining the newcomers is South Plains College transfer Jessie Madrid. The junior from Hobbs, N.M. helped lead the Texans to an NJCAA National Championship in 2018 and earned all-conference accolades. With the Texans, Madrid recorded a career-best 7k time of 22:18.4 to come in seventh at the NMJC Cross Country Invitational, while also turning in a career-best 8k time of 26:00.9 at the 2017 NJCAA Region V Championship, placing sixth.
The Greyhounds will also feature a pair of highly touted freshmen in Alejandro Chavez and Jon Fuentes.
Chavez comes to Eastern after a phenomenal career running at Hartley High School in Hartley, Texas, winning the 2018 UIL 1A State Championship with a 5000-meter time of 15:53.74. Chavez placed second in the state meet during his sophomore campaign while finishing fourth during his junior season.
A local product from Clovis, N.M., Fuentes comes to Eastern after finishing 12th at the NMAA 5A State Championships, turning in a 5k time of 16:52.6. Fuentes placed seventh during the state meet as a junior, crossing the finish line in 16:55.75.
The Hounds will also have one of their top track and field standouts competing on the cross country team this season in senior Ivar Moinat. The Amsterdam, Netherlands native was a two-time NCAA Division II All-American in the 800-meter event during the 2019 indoor and outdoor seasons.
The Greyhounds will get the 2019 campaign underway on Sept. 6 at the Buffalo Stampede hosted by West Texas A&M.
