Men’s Cross Country Places Fifth in Competitive Chile Pepper Festival Field
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The East Central University men's cross country team put together a strong showing Saturday morning at the annual Chile Pepper Festival, hosted by the University of Arkansas, finishing fifth out of 26 teams in a competitive field featuring programs from all divisions.
ECU finished with 191 points to secure fifth place overall, trailing Texas (64), North Texas (103), UTEP (137) and Oklahoma Baptist (172) in the team standings.
The Tigers' top four runners finished consecutively, with just eight seconds separating the group.
Meshack Kosgei led ECU in 25th with a time of 25:02.0, followed by
Emmanuel Kemboi in 26th at 25:06.5,
Thaddaeus Rotich in 27th at 25:07.6 and
Donald Kipsang in 28th at 25:10.1. The four Tigers crossed the finish line one after another, showcasing ECU's pack running.
Bhekizulu Khumalo was the Tigers' fifth scorer, placing 85th with a time of 26:11.5.
Ismael Pizano finished 146th at 27:55.7, while
Dallin Mortensen rounded out the ECU lineup in 154th with a time of 28:18.3.
The Tigers will return to the course on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Old Glory Gallop hosted by Dallas Baptist University.
