Following a grueling season, the Northwestern State men’s and women’s cross country teams wrap up their fall season with the Southland Conference Championships.
The teams don’t have to travel to compete, either, as NSU hosts the meet on its campus this morning.
The women kick off the meet with a 6K race at 8:32 a.m., followed by the men’s 8K at 9:32 a.m. Both races can be viewed on ESPN+.
“It will be very nice to run at our course,” head coach Payten Vidourek said. “All the guys and women are waking up in their own beds. It’s almost like a regular practice. Day in and day out, we’ve been practicing on that course. We’ve been on the course a lot, which I think will show with the placements of everybody.”
Both races start behind the soccer field and finish between the soccer field and Walter P. Ledet Track and Field Complex.
It is the first time since 2014 NSU has hosted the conference meet.
Competing in his final conference meet of his career, John Klein aims to put a bow on a successful career with the Demons. Klein has placed in the top 12 in four of the five meets during the pre-conference races, including in the top three on two occasions. That includes a personal-best 25:58.8 in the 8K at the UT Tyler Cross Country Opener, finishing second.
“It’s a bittersweet moment for sure with it being my final cross country race,” Klein said. “I am glad I can have it at home. I’ll have my family and friends here and hopefully I can perform well and put out a performance I am proud of.”
In the NSU Pre-SLC Cross Country Meet last month, Klein finished in 10th place, clocking a 19:07.3 in the 6K race, which featured some of the conference’s best distance runners.
“I am really excited,” Klein said. “We’ve trained on that course all year and we know every pothole, every curve, everything about it. I think that will work to our advantage Friday, so we’re ready.”
While Klein has led the men, junior Lalaina Wood has consistently been the top finisher on the women’s side.
Wood has led the Lady Demons runners in every race she’s participated in. The Oak Ridge native has been at her best as the season has gone along, recording personal bests in each of her final three meets of the season, in three different distances.
In the last race at Mississippi College, she ran a 24:28.4 in the 6K on Oct. 17.
“Lalaina has been doing great every single race,” Vidourek said. “Ever since her injury, she has gotten better each race she runs in. Obviously a huge PR at McNeese and then followed that up with another PR in the 6K at Mississippi College.
The two leaders help guide a group of young athletes, especially on the men’s side.
The meet concludes the cross country season.
VOLLEYBALL: The Northwestern volleyball team was swept by the University of Incarnate Word Cardinals Thursday night (25-11, 25-16 and 25-20) in Southland Conference competition at San Antonio.
The Demons (1-24, 0-11 SLC) play Saturday afternoon at Houston Christian. The Cardinals (12-11, 8-3 SLC) completed a season sweep of NSU.