MOBILE, Ala. – The ULM cross country teams head to Mobile, Alabama, Saturday, Oct. 27 to participate in the Sun Belt Conference Championships. The women begin competition in the 5k event at 10 a.m. ahead of the men's 8k race that is set to start at 11 a.m.
"The Sun Belt Conference is very competitive, but I think we are poised to compete well," ULM assistant coach
Chris Warren said. "All our men and women have been progressing well, and there's no reason they shouldn't have breakout races this weekend. Our last competition saw four of our six men come away with personal bests, and the other two posted their fastest times this season. With strong competition, tomorrow will be a good day for them all."
The Warhawk women's lineup includes
Sharon Jerono,
Edith Jebet,
Kennedy Smith,
N'Finity Lindley, Rebekka Shubert and
Payton Simpson.
Jerono has found success in ULM's four races so far, crossing the line second at the Mook 4 Invitational and sixth in the Mississippi College Invitational. In four events this season, Jebet has enjoyed a pair of Top 10 finishes, including a fourth-place finish at the Mook 4 Invitational and a ninth-place performance at the Mississippi College Watson Ford Invitational.
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Sharon Jerono and
Edith Jebet have shared the No. 1 spot for the women throughout the season," Warren said. "Both young ladies have spent time in the Top 10, 15 and 20 in almost every meet we've competed in this fall. Therefore, those two are posed to have an opportunity to do some damage here as well."
Smith's season includes three races, with her best outing coming at the Mook 4 Invitational where she was 36th in a time of 21:36.10. Lindley put together her best performance of the season at the Mook 4 Invitational, placing 31st in a time of 19:28.40. Shubert has seen action in only one meet, the Mississippi College Invitational on Oct. 13, which she completed in a time of 26:32.32 (114th). Simpson also took part in the Mississippi College Invitational, her lone race of the fall, posting a time of 28:21.56 (122nd).
The ULM men's team lineup features
Elias Keter,
Brandon McDonald,
Kevin Dietrich,
Eric Hawkins,
Cameron Tingle and
Jansen Nowell.
Keter has finished in the Top 15 of three of ULM's four races this fall: Azalea City Classic (fourth), Mississippi College Invitational (11th) and Mississippi College Watson Ford Invitational (14th). His best time of 26:15.40 came in the Oct. 13 Mississippi College Invitational.
McDonald is one of two ULM harriers to record a Top-15 finish in 2018. His top performance came at the Azalea City Classic, placing 11th, while his best time (27:10.02) this season came in the Mississippi College Watson Ford Invitational where he took 22nd place.
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Elias Keter, the reigning Sun Belt Outdoor bronze medalist in the 5,000 meters, is a young man who thrives on the competition and hates to lose, so look for him in the lead pack," Warren said.
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Brandon McDonald has had an amazing senior year so far. He's been locked in at every practice and his times have dropped in dramatic fashion. Brandon has run 24 seconds faster than he ever has before for 8k, but his goals have him running faster still. So, he could place well."
Dietrich has taken part in four meets in 2018, posting his best finish (32nd) at the Mississippi College Watson Ford Invitational and his best time at the Mississippi College Invitational (27:51.04). Hawkins' top finish this fall came at the Mississippi College Watson Ford Invitational (34th), while his best time was logged in the Mississippi College Invitational (27:56.63).
Tingle's season includes three meets, including a 44th-place finish in the Mississippi College Invitational and a top time of 28:33.45 in the Mississippi College Watson Ford Invitational.
Nowell has seen action in three fall events, including the Azalea City Classic (highest finish: 51st), Chile Pepper Festival and Mississippi College Invitational (best time: 29:25.95).
Both events can be seen live on the ESPN+ network by clicking the link:
http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/b4a16375-70ce-433f-a76d-8d92ac50021d/sun-belt-cross-country.
