NEW ORLEANS — Brianna Dekine, who recently accepted a full academic scholarship to Xavier University of Louisiana, will compete for the XU women's cross country team as a freshman this fall.
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Dekine, 5 feet 8 and 145 pounds, is from Culver City, Calif., and graduated from Culver City High School as salutatorian of her class. She ran a career-best of 2 minutes, 16.83 seconds for 800 meters in a second-place finish at the CIF Southern Section Division 2
Finals this year. Her other best times include 20:03 for three miles and 56.46 for 400 meters.
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Dekine, who hopes to attend medical school after Xavier, will be one of four freshmen on the 10-runner roster of the Gold Nuggets, who are seeking their fourth consecutive Gulf Coast Athletic Conference championship and a repeat appearance in the NAIA National Championship. Both Xavier teams will begin the season in early September.
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The Nuggets' other newcomers are Rubeneisha Cooper of Pearland, Texas, Sabrina Vargas of Brookshire, Texas, and Dominique Webb of Carson, Calif.