Saturday, October 28
Austin, Texas
10 a.m.
Kansas State University
vs
Big 12 Championships
K-State Men Earn Best Finish at Big 12 Championship
Oct 28, 2017 | Cross Country
ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Kansas State cross country teams made history on Saturday at the Big 12 Championships, as the men's team earned a program-best fourth place finish with 142 points, while every Wildcat on the women's team earned personal bests, finishing ninth as a team with 206 points.
The Big 12 Championship began with the men's 8k race at Old Settler's Park, as K-State left their mark early in the race. Led by seniors Colton Donahue and Lukas Koch, the Wildcats hustled their way into fourth place as a team at the 4K mark, and held the pace throughout the race. Donahue led the Wildcats with a 23rd place finish crossing the finish line in 24:41.4, and was followed by fellow seniors, Koch (30th, 24:51.1), Bryan Zack (24:51.5); Jeff Bachman (35th, 24:55.1) and Brett Bachman (38th, 24:59.7).
Overall, the men's team finished with 142 points, placing fourth as a team and posting the best finish at the Big 12 Championship in program history. It was the highest finish since also placing fourth at the 1995 Big Eight Championships in Lawrence, Kansas and the highest overall since finishing second in 1992.
"A tight pack is something that we have talked about all year, and there was 20 seconds between our first and fifth runners," head coach Ryun Godfrey said of the men's performance. "They set out at the beginning of the year and said they wanted to be fourth, and they did it. Hats off to these guys for working hard and putting it together on race day."
The women followed the men's race with impressive finishes of their own, as every Wildcat finished the race with their best time in a K-State uniform. The team was led out by senior Kayla Doll, who set a new personal best of 21:00.2, finishing 21st overall. The Wildcats saw personal bests from the rest of the team, as Cara Melgares (21st, 21:30.2), Emma Wren (42nd, 21:38.4), Sydney Collins (44th, 21:45.5), Erin Lee (74th, 22:52.2) and Victoria Robinson (87th, 24:51.4) all improved upon their previous times, earning ninth overall with 206 points.
"I was super impressed with Kayla [Doll] taking off like she did, she just went after it," Godfrey said. "Cara [Melgares] did a great job as a freshman, and Sydney [Collins] and Emma [Wren] did a solid job, too."
In the men's race, Oklahoma State's Hassan Abdi took the individual crown in 24:11.2, although Iowa State claimed the men's team standings with 40 points, snapping Oklahoma State's Big 12 Championship streak of nine consecutive titles. In the women's race, Kansas' Sharon Lokedi claimed her second consecutive Big 12 individual title, as Iowa State took the team title, sweeping both men's and women's events.
Next up, the K-State Cross Country teams will travel to Ames, Iowa to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional on Friday, November 10. Both teams made appearances in the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Rankings this season, with the women's team coming in at No. 9 in week four, and the men's team ranking a program-best No. 12 in week five.
Big 12 Championship
Old Settlers Park
Round Rock, Texas
Men's Team Finishes: 1. Iowa State, 40 points; 2. Texas, 41 points; 3. Oklahoma State, 44 points; 4. Kansas State, 142 points; 5. Texas Tech, 151 points; 6. Baylor, 172 points; 7. Kansas, 189 points; 8. Oklahoma, 194 points; 9. TCU, 295 points.
Men's Individual Top-5: 1. Hassan Abdi, Oklahoma State (24:11.2); 2. Luis Martinez, Oklahoma State (24:12.4); 3. Sam Worley, Texas (24:12.4); 4. Andrew Jordan, Iowa State (24:12.7); 5. Thomas Pollard, Iowa State, 24:14.5).
K-State Men's Finishes: 23. Colton Donahue, 24:41.4; 30. Lukas Koch, 24:51.1; 31. Bryan Zack, 24:51.5; 35. Jeff Bachman, 24:55.1; 38. Brett Bachman, 24:59.7; 43. Nicholas Skinner, 25:11.2; 58. Joe Gorthy, 25:32.4; 66. Keegan Donahue, 25:58.8; 81. San Oxandale, 28:34.9
Women's Team Finishes: 1. Iowa State, 49 points; 2. Oklahoma State, 89 points; 3. Texas, 90 points; 4. West Virginia, 115 points; 5. Baylor, 117 points; 6. Kansas, 147 points; 7. Oklahoma, 179 points; 8. Texas Tech, 196 points. 9. Kansas State, 206 points; 10. TCU, 238 points.
Women's Individual Top-5: 1. Sharon Lokedi, Kansas (20:00.5); 2. Anna West, Baylor (20:06.8); 3. Lindsey Bradley, Baylor (20:09.5); 4. Cailie Logue, Iowa State (20:14.9); 5. Anne Frisbie, Iowa State (20:15.4)
K-State Women's Finishes: 21. Kayla Doll, 21:00.2; 37. Cara Melgares, 21:30.2; 42. Emma Wren, 21:38.4; 44. Sydney Collins, 21:45.5; 74. Erin Lee, 22:52.2; 87. Victoria Robinson, 24:51.4.
For the latest on K-State cross country, follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter using the hashtag #KStateXC or on the team's Facebook page.
The Big 12 Championship began with the men's 8k race at Old Settler's Park, as K-State left their mark early in the race. Led by seniors Colton Donahue and Lukas Koch, the Wildcats hustled their way into fourth place as a team at the 4K mark, and held the pace throughout the race. Donahue led the Wildcats with a 23rd place finish crossing the finish line in 24:41.4, and was followed by fellow seniors, Koch (30th, 24:51.1), Bryan Zack (24:51.5); Jeff Bachman (35th, 24:55.1) and Brett Bachman (38th, 24:59.7).
Overall, the men's team finished with 142 points, placing fourth as a team and posting the best finish at the Big 12 Championship in program history. It was the highest finish since also placing fourth at the 1995 Big Eight Championships in Lawrence, Kansas and the highest overall since finishing second in 1992.
"A tight pack is something that we have talked about all year, and there was 20 seconds between our first and fifth runners," head coach Ryun Godfrey said of the men's performance. "They set out at the beginning of the year and said they wanted to be fourth, and they did it. Hats off to these guys for working hard and putting it together on race day."
The women followed the men's race with impressive finishes of their own, as every Wildcat finished the race with their best time in a K-State uniform. The team was led out by senior Kayla Doll, who set a new personal best of 21:00.2, finishing 21st overall. The Wildcats saw personal bests from the rest of the team, as Cara Melgares (21st, 21:30.2), Emma Wren (42nd, 21:38.4), Sydney Collins (44th, 21:45.5), Erin Lee (74th, 22:52.2) and Victoria Robinson (87th, 24:51.4) all improved upon their previous times, earning ninth overall with 206 points.
"I was super impressed with Kayla [Doll] taking off like she did, she just went after it," Godfrey said. "Cara [Melgares] did a great job as a freshman, and Sydney [Collins] and Emma [Wren] did a solid job, too."
In the men's race, Oklahoma State's Hassan Abdi took the individual crown in 24:11.2, although Iowa State claimed the men's team standings with 40 points, snapping Oklahoma State's Big 12 Championship streak of nine consecutive titles. In the women's race, Kansas' Sharon Lokedi claimed her second consecutive Big 12 individual title, as Iowa State took the team title, sweeping both men's and women's events.
Next up, the K-State Cross Country teams will travel to Ames, Iowa to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional on Friday, November 10. Both teams made appearances in the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Rankings this season, with the women's team coming in at No. 9 in week four, and the men's team ranking a program-best No. 12 in week five.
Big 12 Championship
Old Settlers Park
Round Rock, Texas
Men's Team Finishes: 1. Iowa State, 40 points; 2. Texas, 41 points; 3. Oklahoma State, 44 points; 4. Kansas State, 142 points; 5. Texas Tech, 151 points; 6. Baylor, 172 points; 7. Kansas, 189 points; 8. Oklahoma, 194 points; 9. TCU, 295 points.
Men's Individual Top-5: 1. Hassan Abdi, Oklahoma State (24:11.2); 2. Luis Martinez, Oklahoma State (24:12.4); 3. Sam Worley, Texas (24:12.4); 4. Andrew Jordan, Iowa State (24:12.7); 5. Thomas Pollard, Iowa State, 24:14.5).
K-State Men's Finishes: 23. Colton Donahue, 24:41.4; 30. Lukas Koch, 24:51.1; 31. Bryan Zack, 24:51.5; 35. Jeff Bachman, 24:55.1; 38. Brett Bachman, 24:59.7; 43. Nicholas Skinner, 25:11.2; 58. Joe Gorthy, 25:32.4; 66. Keegan Donahue, 25:58.8; 81. San Oxandale, 28:34.9
Women's Team Finishes: 1. Iowa State, 49 points; 2. Oklahoma State, 89 points; 3. Texas, 90 points; 4. West Virginia, 115 points; 5. Baylor, 117 points; 6. Kansas, 147 points; 7. Oklahoma, 179 points; 8. Texas Tech, 196 points. 9. Kansas State, 206 points; 10. TCU, 238 points.
Women's Individual Top-5: 1. Sharon Lokedi, Kansas (20:00.5); 2. Anna West, Baylor (20:06.8); 3. Lindsey Bradley, Baylor (20:09.5); 4. Cailie Logue, Iowa State (20:14.9); 5. Anne Frisbie, Iowa State (20:15.4)
K-State Women's Finishes: 21. Kayla Doll, 21:00.2; 37. Cara Melgares, 21:30.2; 42. Emma Wren, 21:38.4; 44. Sydney Collins, 21:45.5; 74. Erin Lee, 22:52.2; 87. Victoria Robinson, 24:51.4.
For the latest on K-State cross country, follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter using the hashtag #KStateXC or on the team's Facebook page.
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