WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY SELECTED SIXTH IN LSC PRESEASON POLL

RICHARDSON, Texas – After coming off a strong showing in last year’s Lone Star Conference Championships, the Eastern New Mexico women’s cross country team will look to contend for for the championship again after being picked to finish sixth in the LSC Preseason Poll, announced by the conference office on Thursday.

The poll is voted upon by the league’s head coaches, sports information directors and select members of the media.

The Greyhounds are coming off a third place finish at the 2018 LSC Championships after scoring 87 points. The Hounds placed three runners in the top 10 with ENMU all-time great Mercy Rotich winning the championship while LSC Newcomer of the Year Evaline Cheptoo took sixth and Mason Swanson placed ninth.

With the Hounds returning Cheptoo and Swanson, ENMU will be gunning for the league championship once again.

Cheptoo earned a pair of top 10 finishes in 2018, scoring a season-best third place finish at the Lone Star Conference Preview with a 6k time of 23.27.8. The Kapkatet, Kenya product turned in a career-best 5k time at the Arkansas Chile Pepper Festival after crossing the finish line in 19:09.5.

Entering her senior season, Swanson also turned in two top 10 finishes during the 2018 campaign. Swanson ran a career-best 6k time of 23:38.4 at the LSC Championships while also recording a sixth-place time of 23:54.6 at the LSC Preview.

ENMU is bringing in some strong runners to compete during the 2019 campaign, headlined by Pratt Community College transfer Aminata Kenyawani. The Tucson, Ariz. native was a NJCAA All-American last season after placing 10^th at the national championship meet while also placing second at the NJCAA Region VI Championship with a career-best 5k time of 18:28.4.

The Hounds are also bringing in great high school talent, featuring Amalia Delgado. The Dalhart, Texas product placed 61^st at the UIL State Championships as a senior after turning in a 3200-meter time of 12:47.33.

The Greyhounds are set to open the 2019 season at the Buffalo Stampede, hosted by West Texas A&M on Sept. 6.