Junior Karissa Schweizer took first place individually in the women’s 5K race Saturday at the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Missouri women’s cross-country placed second in its 8K race, and the men’s team placed third.
For Schweizer, this is her second time in a row finishing first overall, having accomplished the same feat at the Commodore Classic on Sept. 17. That performance earned her SEC Runner of the Week honors.
Following 46 seconds behind Schweizer was junior Jamie Kempfer, who finished 16th overall with a time of 16:55. Seniors Nicole Mello and Teylar Adelsberger, along with redshirt junior Ellyn Atkinson, rounded out the top five Mizzou female runners. All of them were within the top 30 of the race.
Karissa Schweizer on top of the podium as the #Mizzou women finish 2nd overall at the Chile Pepper Festival!#MIZ #TigerTough pic.twitter.com/Wa0VYAIBXL
— Mizzou Track & Field (@MIZ_TrackField) October 1, 2016
The women’s team’s overall average was 16:59, a 41-second improvement from its last race.
Redshirt senior Drew White led the men’s side with a time of 23:57, finishing ninth overall. Senior Ollie Lockley was the Mizzou runner up, finishing 26th with a time of 24:43. Redshirt junior Marc Dubrick and senior Luca Rosso were 28th and 31st, respectively.
Drew White finishes in the top-10 and the #Mizzou men finish 3rd overall at the Chile Pepper Festival.#MIZ #TigerTough pic.twitter.com/35tQodniNR
— Mizzou Track & Field (@MIZ_TrackField) October 1, 2016
The race’s competition was massive, with 65 cross-country programs racing and 17 states represented. Of these, only Arkansas, the home team, managed to place first in both the men’s and women’s competition.
Wichita State was the only other team to beat Mizzou in the men’s race, finishing second.
The Chile Pepper Cross-Country Festival hosts not just collegiate races but also high school and open races. Much of the money raised goes to funding high school cross-country teams across Arkansas.
Mizzou cross-country will compete next on Oct. 13 at the Bradley “Pink” Classic in Peoria, Illinois.
_Edited by David Reynolds | dreynolds@themaneater.com_