Cross country finishes second and third at Southland Championship

Story Headlines
- The Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi men's cross country program tied for the highest overall finish in team history and the women's Valentina Campos placed third overall on Friday at the Southland Conference Championship.
- The men's team finished second overall, led by three runners in the top 22.
- On the women's side, Campos' 6K personal record of 20:59.7 carried a very young women's program to a third place finish in the team standings, just one year removed from winning the conference title on a team that lost four of its top five runners.
- Friday marked the fourth time both programs have finished in the top-three at the Southland Championship.
- The championship was held at Beaverfork Lake in Conway, Ark., and hosted by the University of Central Arkansas.
- Isaac Vargas finished ninth in the men's 8K in 24:30.6 and Tristan Stellmach placed 11th in 24:36.4.
- Campos, Stellmach, Vargas and Quin Johnson were each named All-Southland Conference performers for their finishes.
- Johnson also garnered Newcomer of the Year.
- Complete results can be found HERE.
- Fans can find photo albums HERE.

Men's Highlights
- Marek Spriestersbach was 22nd in 25:00.1 and Juan Salinas III ran a personal best 25:13.84 to take 28th.
- Matthew Lara was the Islanders' other point scorer, taking 51st in a personal best time of 25:53.4.
- The Islander men placed second overall back in 2007 and now have five top-three team performances in their history.
- The men's race featured 13 teams and 92 total competitors.
- Lamar won the men's title with 34 total points. A&M-Corpus Christi was second with 120 and Abilene Christian took third with 126.
- Lamar's Jordan Rowe won the individual title at 24:01.7.

Women's Highlights
- The women had every runner hit a personal best. Johnson finished 13th (22:05.4) and Aeriel Garcia finished 21st (22:17.9).
- Cambria Clark finished 27th overall at 22:29.2 and Alana Blankenship rounded out the point scorers with a 30th place finish at 22:39.3.
- The women's race had 13 teams and 90 competitors. Central Arkansas won the team title with 64 points. Stephen F. Austin was second with 70 and A&M-Corpus Christi was third with 94.
- New Orleans' Arina Kleshchukova won the individual title at 20:50.5.

3. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Women (94) 6K
3. Valentina Campos - 20:59.7 (pr)
13. Quin Johnson - 22:05.4 (pr)
21. Aeriel Garcia - 22:17.9 (pr)
27. Cambria Clark - 22:29.2 (pr)
30. Alana Blankenship - 22:39.3 (pr)
36. Jasmine Perez - 22:54.0 (pr)
50. Marissa Martinez - 23:15.5 (pr)
64. Ashley King - 24:03.3 (pr)

2. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Men (120) 8K
9. Isaac Vargas - 24:30.6 (pr)
11. Tristan Stellmach - 24:36.4 (pr)
22. Marek Spriestersbach - 25:00.1
28. Juan Salinas III - 25:13.84 (pr)
51. Matthew Lara - 25:53.4 (pr)
67. Hunter Haas - 26:23.8
68. Brandon Hutto - 26:24.8 (pr)
71. Andrew Gandy - 26:33.7 (pr)

Stay Social
- For more information on Islanders Cross Country, follow the team on Twitter (@IslandersTFXC), Instagram (@IslandersTFXC) and like their Facebook page (Islanders Track & Field/Cross Country).

Up Next
- For athletes who qualify, the 2019 NCAA South Central Regional qualifying race will take place at the Agri-Park on Friday, Nov. 9 in Fayetteville, Ark., hosted by Arkansas.