Holt and Smith Highlight Leatherneck's Summit League Championships Appearance

Senior captains Mark Holt and Lydia Smith led the Western men's and women's cross country teams in Fargo, N.D. on Saturday (Nov. 1)

FARGO, N.D. - Western Illinois cross country senior captains Mark Holt and Lydia Smith finished their final Summit League Cross Country Championship in the same fashion as they have all season, leading the team and finishing in the 'top 30'. Holt led the Leatherneck men, crossing the finish with a time of 27:30.4 in 30th place. Smith led the Western women as she posted a time of 23:47.9, good enough for 27th place.

"Our women's team finished in seventh place and we are very happy with that peformance," said head coach Mike Stevenson. "The men ran hard but in the end did not fair as well in the team standings."

Frigid conditions in Fargo forced the start times to be moved back so that frost could clear from the course, but the women's race eventually got underway with the start gun firing at noon (CT). WIU's women competed against a tough league field as they edged Oral Roberts in average time (25:36.3). All the Purple and Gold ladies finished in the 'top 50' with Smith, Madison Lefler, and Alyssa Johnson all posting sub-25' times.

On the men's side, Western freshman Grant Kaiser finished on the heels of Holt in 31st place with a time of 27:58.7. Jose Gonzalez, Angel Carrera, and Tariq Ahmad crossed as a group in 40th, 43rd and 45th place respectively with Kendall Keller close behind in 46th place. Ahmad's time of 30:16.9 marks an 8K personal-best for the senior.

In the team standings, IUPUI claimed the men's crown while South Dakota took the women's championship.

Lydia Smith will also be featured in The Summit League's 'My Championship Experience' blog to be posted early next week. Smith's entry can be found on The Summit League's website at www.TheSummitLeage.org

The season continues for the Western runners with the NCAA Regional competition, hosted by Bradley, scheduled for Friday, November 14.

Final Team Standings:

Men
1. IUPUI
2. South Dakota State
3. South Dakota
4. North Dakota State
5. Oral Roberts
6. Fort Wayne
7. Western Illinois

Women
1. South Dakota
2. North Dakota State
3. South Dakota State
4. IUPUI
5. Omaha
6. Fort Wayne
7. Western Illinois
Oral Roberts

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Players Mentioned

Tariq Ahmad: DISTANCE; Senior

Mark Holt: DISTANCE; Senior

Alyssa Johnson: DISTANCE; Junior; Washington Community

Madison Lefler: DISTANCE; Sophomore; Canton

Lydia Smith: DISTANCE; Senior; Canton

Kendall Keller: DISTANCE; Junior; Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor

Angel Carrera: DISTANCE; Redshirt Freshman; Round Lake Senior

Grant Kaiser: DISTANCE; Freshman; Glenwood

Players Mentioned

Tariq Ahmad
: Senior
: DISTANCE

Mark Holt
: Senior
: DISTANCE

Alyssa Johnson
: Junior; Washington Community
: DISTANCE

Madison Lefler
: Sophomore; Canton
: DISTANCE

Lydia Smith
: Senior; Canton
: DISTANCE

Kendall Keller
: Junior; Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor
: DISTANCE

Angel Carrera
: Redshirt Freshman; Round Lake Senior
: DISTANCE

Grant Kaiser
: Freshman; Glenwood
: DISTANCE