The Texas A&M men’s and women’s cross country teams kicked off their 2024 campaigns in Stillwater, Oklahoma, for the Cowboy Preview at the Greiner Family Cross Country Course on Friday. The Aggies competed against Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Tulsa.
In the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the A&M women were ranked No. 2 in the South Central Regional Coaches Rankings headed into their first road trip, while the men were ranked No. 4 in the polls. The Aggies returned 17 women and 10 men to this year’s roster.
The women’s team competed in the 3K and won its meet after closing out with five top-15 finishers, including freshman San Juanita Leal, who earned first place, clocking in at 10 minutes and 30.1 seconds.
“San Juanita [Leal] taking the individual title was great,” distance coach Wendel McRaven said. “She took the lead from the gun and never looked back — a great debut for her in the Maroon and White.”
Not far behind Leal was freshman Maddie Peters, who finished in sixth place at 10:44.5; freshman Megan Roberts, who finished 10th; junior Kennady Fontenot, who finished in 14th and junior Elise Smoot, who finished in 15th.
The men finished second as a team in the 5K with five runners finishing in the top 25. Sophomore Zack Munger was the leading runner for the Maroon and White, finishing in third place with a time of 15:03.7, while freshman Luca Santorum finished in sixth at 15:11.6.
Sophomore Jack Johnston, who timed in at 15:19.3, finished in 12th place, sophomore Diego Heredia in 17th and sophomore Aiden Gonzalez-Rodiles in 21st.
“It was a solid opener for us on both sides,” McRaven said. “It’s nice adding some new faces into the mix. I’m pleased with the women taking the team win and the men finishing second.”
Next for the Aggie men’s and women’s cross country teams is the Texas A&M Invitational at the Watts Cross Country Course on Sept.13, beginning at 8 a.m.
