TROY, Ala. – Dusan Makevic headlined the ULM cross country program at the Sun Belt Championships with a 13th-place finish and All-Conference Third-Team honors on Saturday at Trojan Oaks on the campus of Troy University.
As a team, the men finished sixth while the women took ninth.
Makevic, from Sabac, Serbia, crossed the line in 26:16.7. He was followed by freshman Vinnie Van Puyvelde who registered a top-30 time of 27:07.8.
Freshmen Brent Turner and Lane Perilloux set personal-records on the 8K course. Turner clocked in at 27:25.1 and Perilloux came in at 30:32.9.
“We had a few really strong performances today. Dusan did really well and to make All-Conference is a tremendous accomplishment. Brent Turner also did great and the personal-record speaks for itself,” said cross country coach Karoly Varga. “Overall though, I am a little disappointed with the men’s turnout. The course was really difficult with a lot of hills and turns, but still I feel we have a much stronger team than what the times showed today.”
On the women’s side, the Warhawks exceeded expectations as they were picked 10th in the SBC Preseason Poll. Sophomore Pauline Muiruri, who finished with ULM’s top time in every meet this season, led the Warhawks with a top-30 time of 19:32.1.
Sophomore Rebecca Dark posted a top-50 score of 20:49.9 in the 5K race as ULM’s second finisher. Julie Hinson, despite running under the weather, finished at 22:22.6.
“The women had a really good race. Everyone expected us to finish last and we weren’t given much of a chance. We ran with a couple of injuries and Julie had the fever all week. Still we fought through it and ran hard. I was really proud of how hard we worked,” said Varga.
The Warhawks will now await their placement at the NCAA South Central Regional. The race is set for Friday, Nov. 15 in Waco, Texas.
Men’s Individual Results (8K)
13. Dusan Makevic, 26:16.7
28. Vinnie Van Puyvelde, 27:07.8
34. Silah Chumba, 27:24.8
35. Brent Turner, 27:25.1*
36. Hillary Kirwa, 27:33.3
61. Jonathan Jeffcoat, 29:53.6
64. Dominique Cheffin, 30:32.9
65. Lane Perilloux, 31:10.3*
* personal record
Men’s Team Results
1. 23 Texas-Arlington
2. 54 Arkansas-Little Rock
3. 86 South Alabama
4. 142 Arkansas State
5. 145 Western Kentucky
6. 146 ULM
7. 160 UL-Lafayette
8. 163 Texas State
9. 227 Troy
Women’s Individual Results (5K)
28. Pauline Muiruri, 19:32.1
49. Rebecca Dark, 20:42.9
64. Teona Glave, 21:55.1
67. Julie Hinson, 22:22.6
68. Anakaren Lopez, 22:26.1
Women’s Team Results
1. 50 Arkansas State
2. 62 Texas-Arlington
3. 68 Western Kentucky
4. 92 Georgia State
5. 107 South Alabama
6. 151 Texas State
7. 169 UL-Lafayette
8. 193 Troy
9. 264 ULM
10. 283 Arkansas-Little Rock