XC: Men repeat as Sun Belt champions
10/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
By Drew Harris | UTAMavs.com
Men's Results
Women's Results
DOTHAN, Ala. - For the fourth time in five years, the UT Arlington men's cross country team has claimed a conference title, as the Mavericks won the Sun Belt Conference Championships on Saturday morning.
It is the third time that the Mavericks have won an SBC crown, adding to the 2013 and 2015 wins that came following a Western Athletic Conference triumph in 2012. UTA is the first Sun Belt men's team to repeat since Little Rock did in 2001-02.
The Mavs boasted the individual winner for the second straight year as Craig Lautenslager followed 2015 champion Eric Ojeda. Lautenslager's 8k time on Saturday morning was 24:20.9, which distanced himself by five seconds over the runner up. His winning clocking was the fastest at the meet since 2007. The senior competed in three SBC meets in his career and finished first, second and third.
In addition, junior Michael Guerrero placed fourth in 24:37.6 to earn first-team all-league honors. He was eighth in 2014, but was injured and unable to run last year.
Freshman Justin Domangue came in seventh (25:04.9) to claim a spot on the All-SBC team. UTA's other two point scorers were also among the top 20. Joel Duren was 15th in 25:04.9, while Grayson Birka crossed in 18th (25:53.7).
UTA finished with 45 points, 21 better than runner-up UL Lafayette (66). Texas State was third with 88 points. The winning score was the best at the meet since the Mavericks' 2013 squad totaled 23.
"Whenever you win a championship, it's a total team effort," UTA coach John Sauerhage said. "Craig and Mike delivered clutch performances, and Justin's run was heroic. Now it's time to head to regionals."
The women took fifth as a team after winning the title in 2014 and placing third a year ago. UTA had 141 points, while Appalachian State was victorious with 43.
Junior Tori Shelton placed sixth individually with a 5k clocking of 18:01.9. She earned second-team all-conference honors after landing her highest league finish ever. Shelton was 21st a year ago, and shaved more than a minute off her time this season.
Macey Beazley was the Mavericks' second finisher, as she placed 22nd individually with a time of 19:27.4. UTA's other scorers were Chantal Van Der Westhuizen (36th, 19:54.5), Penny Taylor (38th, 19:59.2) and Taylor Repa (39th, 19:59.3).
"Tori's sixth place finish was a great way to come back from a 2015 season marred by injury," Sauerhage said. "Macey competed hard and showed great improvement throughout the season."
Both teams will return to action on Friday, Nov. 11 at the NCAA South Central Regional in Fayetteville, Ark.
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