Houston-area standout runner signs with Xavier
NEW ORLEANS — Rubeneisha Cooper of Pearland, Texas, has signed a women's cross country scholarship with Xavier University of Louisiana.
NEW ORLEANS — Rubeneisha Cooper of Pearland, Texas, has signed a women's cross country scholarship with Xavier University of Louisiana.
Cooper, 5 feet 3 and 127 pounds, ran two miles in 12 minutes, 12.3 seconds in November to finish 34th out of 162 runners in the Region III-5A meet. Her time was more than a minute faster than the Xavier school record at that distance.
In outdoor track she finished third in the 400-meter dash (1:00.23) and fourth in the 800 (2:22.25) at the 2008 district meet and placed third in the 800 (2:21.71) at the 2007 district meet. Cooper helped Pearland's Lady Oilers win district team championships both years.
In July she ran the third leg of the Texas Storm Track Club's 4x800-meter relay team which finished second in 9:32.30 in the young women division of the USATF National Junior Olympics at Omaha, Neb.
"We are looking for great things from Rubeneisha," Xavier coach Joseph Moses said. "She's a very talented athlete from a good high school program and track club."
Cooper is a National Honor Society member and plans to major in pharmacy at Xavier. She is the first female to sign with Xavier for next season.
Pearland is a suburb south of Houston.
Xavier is the three-time defending Gulf Coast Athletic Conference champion in women's and men's cross country, and both teams qualified for the 2008 NAIA National Championships. The Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush will begin their 2009 seasons in late August or early September.
In July she ran the third leg of the Texas Storm Track Club's 4x800-meter relay team which finished second in 9:32.30 in the young women division of the USATF National Junior Olympics at Omaha, Neb.
"We are looking for great things from Rubeneisha," Xavier coach Joseph Moses said. "She's a very talented athlete from a good high school program and track club."
Cooper is a National Honor Society member and plans to major in pharmacy at Xavier. She is the first female to sign with Xavier for next season.
Pearland is a suburb south of Houston.
Xavier is the three-time defending Gulf Coast Athletic Conference champion in women's and men's cross country, and both teams qualified for the 2008 NAIA National Championships. The Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush will begin their 2009 seasons in late August or early September.