TECH READY TO DEFEND BIG 12 CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP
October 29, 2009 | Cross Country
Oct. 29, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech Red Raiders and the 14th ranked Lady Raiders head to Columbia, MO., this Saturday to run at the A.L. Gustin Golf Course for the 2009 Big 12 Cross Country Championships as the women look to defend its 2008 crown.
The Texas Tech women have won every meet the team has entered this season and are led by All-American Lillian Badaru. The senior has won the individual title at both the Cowboy Jamboree and Chile Pepper Invitational this season.
Purity Biwott, Gladys Kipsang and Caroline Karunde have all ran extremely well all season helping the team to victories. The three have finished in the top 10 of every race this season. Biwott has crossed the line in the top five in every race as well.
Michelle Guzman and Winrose Karunde are both running some of their best times of the season and look to push the team to its second-straight Big 12 title. Guzman, an All-Big 12 runner last year, and Karunde both have finished in the top 10 in two races on the season.
Katherine Priebe, Kaci Westervelt and Meagan Willingham will also be running on the women's team.
The Lady Raiders have the second-highest ranking going into the Big 12 Championships at #14 while Colorado's women are the highest at No. 3 according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association rankings. No. 19 Iowa State, No. 26 Baylor are the other teams ranked heading into the meet.
The men's squad is paced by All-Big 12 runner Gilbert Limo. The junior has won two meets this year and finished 18th at the Chile Pepper Festival two weeks ago.
Three other Red Raiders have been consistent the entire year helping the squad get better with every meet. Silas Kemboi, who redshirted last season, has two top 10 finishes and was 30th at the Chile Pepper. Cory Higgins highest finish has been at the Texas Tech Ruidoso Open placing second and was sixth at the Texas Tech Open.
The third consistent Red Raider has been Zach Quinones. The senior was 53rd at the Chile Pepper Festival and eighth at the Texas Tech Open previously in the season.
David Boston, Thomas Cattin-Masson, Logan Culotta, Jeremy Kight and Nathan Milles make up the rest of the squad. Culotta Kight and Milles all have top 10 finishes on the season and will look to push the Red Raiders into the top half of the conference race.
The men's field is full of competitive teams throughout as No. 3 Oklahoma State, No. 4 Colorado, No. 20 Oklahoma and No. 23 Iowa State are all ranked in the USTFCCCA's top 25.
The men's race will start the Big 12 Championships at 10 a.m. while the women will run at 11 a.m. The top 15 runners will be named All-Big 12.
Players Mentioned
