Naimadu 2nd, Kryv'yak 8th at Chile Pepper

ACU men finish second at Arkansas, women 11th

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- ACU cross country standout Nicodemus Naimadu finished second overall Saturday at the Chile Pepper Festival to lead the ACU men to a sixth-place finish at the Chile Pepper Festival croos country meet, hosted by the University of Arkansas.

On the women's side, Olha Kryv'yak finished eighth overall to lead the ACU women to an 11th-place finish in the team race.

Arkansas, the defending NCAA Division I national men's team champion, won the overall team title with 57 points.  The top-ranked Razorbacks were led by Josphat Boit, who won the individual title by four seconds over Naimadu.  No. 6 Arizona was second with 93 points, followed by No. 11 UTEP in third place (94 points), No. 31 Alabama in fourth (98 points), unranked California in fifth (176) and ACU in sixth (222 points).

On the women's side, No. 16 Oklahoma State won the team title with 64 points, followed by No. 12 Arkansas in second (71 points), No. 14 Baylor (82 points), Wichita State in fourth (178 points) and Nebraska in fifth (220 points).  ACU was 11th with 341 points.

Naimadu covered the 10-kilometer course in a quick 28:31.0, finishing second to Arkansas all-America and defending Southeastern Conference champion Josphat Boit, who clocked a 28:27.0.  Both Boit and Naimadu broke the previous course record at the Agri Park Cross Country Course, a mark previously held by the late Alabama all-America runner David Kimani, who clocked a 28:42.0 in 2002.

Naimadu, who averaged a 4:36.0 mile over the 10K course, joined a pack of four runners -- including Boit -- at the top of the race with about two miles to go.  With about one mile to go, Boit and Naimadu broke away from the pack, setting up a showdown for the individual win.  As the two runners entered the timing tunnel, Naimadu slowed and conceded the race to Boit on his home course.

Kryv'yak was ACU's top finisher on the women's side, covering the 6-kilometer course in 20:55.6, finishing behind individual winner Desiraye Osburn of Wichita State, who clocked a 20:17.9. 

Both ACU men's and women's teams will be back in action next Saturday at the Lone Star Conference championship meet, hosted for the first time by Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Okla., at the Prairie West Golf Course.

The ACU men -- ranked No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 in the NCAA Division II South Central Region -- is the overwhelming favorite to win its 15th straight league championship.  The ACU women -- ranked No. 16 in the nation and No. 1 in the NCAA Division II South Central Region -- are also the favorites to win as the Wildcats seek their fifth straight LSC championship.