TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The LSU men’s and women’s cross country teams got the season off to a strong start on Friday at the Alabama-hosted Crimson Classic, posting a pair of third-place finishes in the team competition at the Harry Pritchard Running Course.
Nationally-ranked Alabama won the men’s competition, finishing with just 23 points. Mississippi State earned runner up honors with 50 points and the Tigers followed with 83 points.
Alabama-Birmingham clinched the women’s race after tallying 33 points. Alabama was a distance second with 87 points and the Lady Tigers rounded out the top three with 94 points.
“I think for the first race of the season both teams ran very good races,” said LSU cross country coach Mark Elliott. “Most teams in the field were running their second and third races of the year. For where we are at in the season I am very pleased with the way they performed.”
Individually, junior Joseph Simuchimba highlighted LSU’s efforts, recording a third-place finish in the men’s race after completing the 8K course in 24:40.21. Simuchimba was less than 30 seconds behind the meet’s first and second place finishers, Emmanueal Bor (24:16.13) and Augustus Maiyo (24:17.62) of Alabama, both of which are national caliber runners that are projected to finish among the top 20 at this year’s NCAA Championships.
Not far behind Simuchimba were a trio of his teammates that all finished among the meet’s top 25 performers.
Sophomore Jacob Simmons finished 12th in 25:37.24, while senior Michael Hendry and sophomore Alan Sticker placed 22nd and 25th, respectively, with times of 26:27.67 and 26:30.99.
On the women’s side, senior Kate Accardo led the LSU pack, placing 14th overall with a time of 18:59.12 over the 5K course.
The Lady Tigers had two others finish among the top 25 as senior Jennifer Radecker was 20th with a time of 19:25.93 and fellow senior Katie Dawson was on her heels in 21st with a time of 19:26.89.
Up next, the Tigers return to Baton Rouge to host their only home meet of the season, the LSU Tiger Cross Country Festival, on Saturday, Sept. 22, at Highland Road Park.
CRIMSON CLASSIC RESULTS
Team
MEN
1. Alabama, 23
2. Mississippi State, 50
3. LSU, 83
4. Jacksonville State, 107
5. Samford, 129
6. Troy, 181
7. Alabama State, 198
8. Ole Miss, 214
9. West Alabama, 256
10. Nicholls State, 287
11. North Alabama, 292
WOMEN
1. Alabama-Birmingham, 33
2. Alabama, 87
3. LSU, 94
4. Mississippi State, 94
5. Samford, 101
6. Jacksonville State, 173
7. Ole Miss, 181
8. Nicholls State, 227
9. North Alabama, 245
10. Troy, 252
11. Jackson State, 253
12. Alabama State, 318
Individual (Winner plus all LSU runners)
MEN
1, Emmanuel Bor, Alabama, 24:16.13. 3, Joseph Simuchimba, 24:40.21. 12, Jacob Simmons, 25:37.24. 22, Michael Hendry, 26:27.67. 25, Alan Sticker, 26:30.99. 28, Michael Florek, 26:39.39. 29, Richard Chantin, 26:52.45. 46, Kyle Hecker, 27:46.91. 52, Ken Ehrhardt, 27:58.80. 75, Jeff Adolph, 30:53.68.
WOMEN
1, Lauren Blankenship, Samford, 17:17.11. 14, Kate Accardo, 18:59.12. 17, Megan Broussard, 19:09.57. 20, Jennifer Radecker, 19:25.93. 21, Katie Dawson, 19:26.89. 26, Erin Vandivort, 19:47.78. 31, Lindsay Day, 19:54.81. 32, Christy Zirkle, 20:12.34. 41, Christina Porter, 20:20.89. 66, Kristi Denton, 21:33.56.