Women Finish Sixth at Big 12 Championships - Kansas State Official Athletic Site

Women Finish Sixth at Big 12 Championships

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Kansas State's cross country teams took part in the Big 12 Championships on Saturday as the women's squad led the way with a sixth-place team finish, while K-State's men placed 12th. The races were run at the A.L. Gustin Golf Course in Columbia, Mo., hosted by Missouri.

The women's sixth-place team finish matches last year's finish and marks the second consecutive year the Wildcat women finished in the top-half of the league. The Wildcats now have four top-10 finishes on the season in five total competitions.

Senior Beverly Ramos led the Wildcat women with a sixth-place individual finish and a 6K time of 21:24.79, while freshman Tom O'Connell led the men with a 74th-place individual finish and an 8K time of 27:08.78.

For the second consecutive year, both the Texas Tech women and Oklahoma State men won the championships. Texas Tech's women were led by a force of five top-15 finishers, while the men of Oklahoma State were charged by four top five finishers.

Colorado's Jenny Barringer took home the women's individual title with a 6K time of 20:27.46. Oklahoma State's Ryan Vail won the men's race with an 8K time of 24:50.67.

"Our women ran above average today," said K-State head coach Michael Smith. "We beat some good teams and our sixth-place finish is an indication that we are pretty good. We did not necessarily have our best day, but we had a good enough day and I am ready to see how we perform in two weeks. I think our best running is ahead of us."

Ramos was the Wildcats' top runner for the fourth consecutive contest and finished in the top-10 for the fourth time this season. Behind Ramos for the Wildcats was junior Sydney Messick who placed 14th overall with a time of 21:59.60, bettering her 32nd-place finish last season. Messick has been a consistent runner for the K-State women this season finishing in the top-15 in four out of the five events she has participated.

In men's action, O'Connell led his young Wildcat teammates for the second consecutive meet. Following O'Connell, fellow freshman Kyle Hanson finished 75th overall with a time of 27:09.68.

K-State will return to action at the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 14, in Springfield, Mo.