METAIRIE, La. – The Loyola University New Orleans men’s and women’s cross country teams opened the 2012 season at Lafreniere Park at the­­ Loyola Wolf Pack Cross Country Invitational. The men’s team placed fifth and the women’s team finished sixth on Saturday.

For the women, the team scored 134 points, 54 points ahead of the University of Mobile, with an average time of 24:26.93. The Wolf Pack finished with two runners in the top 25. Junior Elizabeth Gienger was the top finisher for the Loyola women, clocking in at 23:07.64 for a 26th place finish.

Other Loyola female competitors were Emma Larson 35th (24:06.36), Raquel Derganz Baker 44th (25:31.00), Candace Johnson 50th (26:41.89), Elysia Pendezec 51st (26:51.50), and Jess Williams 66th (38:14.12).

For the men, the team scored 100 points, 27 points ahead of Spring Hill College, with an average time of 18:38.16. Three runners finished in the top 25 for the men. Competing in his first collegiate meet, freshman Jonathan Malbrue came in 15th place with a time of 18:12.63.

Additional Loyola male competitors included Paul Freese 18th (18:25.00), Henry Gerbracht 20th (18:33.57), Michael Corso 27th (18:52.59), Kenny Tsao 31st (19:06.99), Chris Graugnard 36th (19:36.61), and Galen Westerfield 45th (19:58.79).

The Wolf Pack ran with seven women and seven men today, among a total of 66 women and 72 men. Nine women’s and nine men’s teams competed, along with the women’s Loyola alumni team.

The women’s alumni team had three of four runners finish among the top 25. Natalie Sargent finished 10th (21:18.21), Mary Erin Imwalle placed 16th (21:58.68), Jeanne Cassandra came in 21st (22:43.30), and Becky Kramer placed 49th (26:40.76) in the race.

Rich Bouckaert was the only runner to compete for Loyola men’s alumni team. He finished in 12th place, clocking in at 17:54.43.

Xavier University took first place among the women’s teams, averaging 20:59.42 and scoring 33 points – 21 points ahead of Mississippi College who finished second, yielding the women’s first place runner Jennifer Cooper (19:57.23).

Taking first place for the men’s teams was William Carey University who scored 51 points - 10 more than Mississippi College. WCU recorded a 17:31.83 team average while Joash Osoro finished in first (15:33.85).

The cross country team will return to action on September 22 competing at the LSU invitational in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The meet is slated for 8am at Highland Rd. Park.

Complete meet results of today’s event will be posted at: https://la.milesplit.com/meets/108987-loyola-wolf-pack-invitational

For full results, photos and recap trailers from both the high school and college sections - click our official milesplit page here.