Dotson, Harding lead XU teams at NAIA National Championships
November 21, 2009
VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Freshman Mark Dotson and senior Ebony Harding were the fastest finishers Saturday for Xavier University of Louisiana in the 2009 NAIA Men's and Women's Cross Country National Championships at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
Dotson ran 8,000 meters in 27 minutes, 34 seconds to finish 215th out of 323 men. Harding ran 5,000 meters in 21:22 to place 263rd out of 330 women.
The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets both finished 31st out of 32 schools in the team scoring.
This was the second consecutive year that both Xavier teams competed in the national meet. Harding finished her collegiate career as the Nuggets' fastest runner in all 31 of her races.
Malone won the men's team championship for the third consecutive year, and Cal State San Marcos won the women's title. Individual winners were Oklahoma Christian sophomore Silas Kisorio in 24:23 in the men's race -- he beat McKendree's Carison Kemei by one second -- and Shorter junior Justyna Mudy in 17:30 in the women's race.