Wildcats finish 2nd to Razorbacks

ACU runs strong race to finish 7 points behind Hogs

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Four ACU runners finished in the top 10 Saturday at the Oklahoma State Cowboy Jamboree, but it wasn't enough for the Wildcats to overtake Arkansas as the Razorbacks claimed the team championship at the OSU Cross Country course.

Arkansas finished with 31 points, followed by ACU with 38 points, Oklahoma State in third with 87, Air Force in fourth 158 points and Kansas in fifth.

The Wildcats' strong performance was led by senior Alfred Rugema, who finished fourth, covering the 8,000-meter course in 24 minutes, 6 seconds.  He was followed by Bernard Manirakiza in fifth (24:32), John Kemboi in seventh (24:39) and Arthemon Sindayigaya in eighth (24:41).

The Razorbacks, though, countered with the overall individual championship by Alistair Cragg (23:53), a third-place finish by Daniel Lincoln (24:02) and a sixth-place finish by Silverus Kimeli (24:34).

"We ran really well today," ACU head coach Jon Murray said.  "We just couldn't match Arkansas' depth at the front of the race.  We had depth at the bottom of the top 10, but they had it at the top.  But we performed very well today."

ACU's other finishers were Martin O'Kello (14th in 24:51), Nick Branen (19th in 24:59) and Jean-Marie Ndukimana (23rd in 25:11).

ACU -- ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division II and No. 1 in the South Central region -- will return to action in two weeks when it runs in the Chile Pepper Festival, hosted by the University of Arkansas.  The Wildcats won the meet two years ago, defeating the Razorbacks on their home course.