Beaufort, South Carolina - The weather conditions as well as the final results from the conference championships could not have been more perfect for the St. Thomas University cross country teams as their seasons drew to a close.  The men finished eighth in the conference out of eight teams, while the women pulled off a seventh place standing by completing a brand new course concocted by NAIA newcomers University of South Carolina Beaufort. The Sand Sharks hosted the 5k and 8k races at their home track of Jasper Park in Beaufort, South Carolina, and by all accounts the course as well as the competition on it was a sight to see. 

The morning began proper, with the singing of the National Anthem, immediately followed by the start of the men's 8k race. STU senior Willie Bankston ended his career with a time of 31:43, good for a 37^th place finish out of 51 competitors, and fastest among Bobcat runners. Though disappointed with his performance, Bankston showed tremendous effort and strength while running through excruciating knee pain. Coach Jeff Norman spoke highly of the senior in saying, “You hate to see someone get injured their senior year. I've seen it happen so many times before, and it just irks you when it happens to one of yours. He's been through a lot, and he's come a long way since his freshman year.”  

Norman also joked at the lighter side of Bankston's role on the team. “The poor guy takes a beating from everyone on the team, especially the girls. He gets picked on, but he never bites back. It's funny to watch him dish it out, knowing that a few minutes later, he'll have to take it. We're going to miss him.”  Bankston's soft spoken leadership and outspoken sense of humor will surely be missed in the 2009 season.  

The remaining men posted some of their best times of the year, continuing their consistent improvement in competition. Sophomore Antonio Hurtado finished in 37:01, sophomore Ricardo Vera in 37:04, and sophomore Michael Jordan in 37:19, good for places of 45^th, 46^th, and 47^th respectively.  The fifth man to cross the line for St. Thomas was freshman Kareem George, who completed the race in 51^st place, with a time of 38:07. Both Coach Norman and Coach Samantha Jacobsen agreed that the men could show even more improvement if they stick with their training this off season. “I'd like to see them do even better. I mean, you've got to hand it to them, they did well, but I think they're capable of a whole lot more. They just have to want it,” said Jacobsen.  

Though missing a key runner, sophomore Stephanie Ricardo, the women showed that want, Jacobsen spoke of, and Coach Norman couldn't agree more. “It's like they got better every time, which was great to watch. Improvement at every meet, every week is something I really enjoyed seeing from them,” he stated. “They showed their passion and their intestinal fortitude the whole way through, and that's exactly what we were looking for.” 

Senior Koely Kempisty led the team for the majority of the race, only to be caught by sophomore Noralis Lambert in the final stretch. Both Lambert and Kempisty finished with their fastest times of the season; Lambert with a 24:29 good for 31^st place and Kempisty with a time of 24:32 placing her in 32^nd place. If both Lambert and Kempisty stay healthy, they will be the solid one two punch next season that the team has been seeking. 

Sophomore Amanda Bennett, was not far behind Lambert and Kempisty with a time of 25:01 for 33^rd place. Following closely behind Bennett, was sophomore Monica Garcia, who finished in 37^th place with a time of 25:46, also the best time of her career. Rounding out the women were sophomore Jen Sanchez with a time of 28:21 for 45^th place, and Jenny Rodriguez in 29:34 for 46^th place.  

Coach Norman was pleased with the overall outcome of the women's season and is looking forward to next year. “We definitely missed Steph, but she's coming back next season, and she'll be healthy, so that's a plus. The other girls are only going to get better too, and next season will be even more exciting than this one was,” he added.  

Jacobsen agreed in saying, “Someone once told me that cross country is like a game of poker. All you need is five cards, five runners to get in the game. We're just looking for those five cards, so we can place our bet, and I think we might have a pretty good hand next season.” 

Though inexperienced, both teams showed a consistent amount of improvement throughout the season, and suggest serious potential for seasons to come.