Lubbock, Texas – The New Mexico Highlands men's and women's cross country teams return to competition Friday morning at the Texas Tech Open at the LCU Cross Country Course in Lubbock.
Friday's meet will give New Mexico Highlands an early opportunity to compete on the same course that will host the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships in November.
The Texas Tech Open features a strong field of 22 programs from across the region, including NCAA Division I, Division II, NAIA and junior college competition. Among the Division II teams scheduled to compete are several familiar RMAC and South Central Region opponents.
New Mexico Highlands last competed September 5 at the Art Morgan Classic in Las Cruces.
James Kurui led the Cowboys in the season opener, placing eighth overall in the men's 5k with a time of 15:18.2. Xavier Martinez, Lawrence Ragland and Josh Mastrantoni also provided strong performances in the middle of the New Mexico Highlands lineup, while All-American Weldon Chebon continued his return to racing form.
On the women's side, Joan Kuyo and Maria Roybal led the Cowgirls' effort in Las Cruces. Monica Kalua also ran with the New Mexico Highlands lead group before losing a shoe midway through the race, while Harlee Jaramillo showed significant improvement from her performance on the same course a year ago.
Friday's longer distances will provide a different test for both teams. The Cowboys move from the 5k distance they raced in Las Cruces to an 8k, while the Cowgirls step up from 5k to 6k.
The men's 8k begins at 7:15 a.m. MT, with the women's 6k scheduled for 7:50 a.m. MT.
