Meyer, Cox Lead Final Meet Before Big 12 Championships

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Houston cross country team wrapped up it's pre-championship schedule at the Arturo Barrios Invitational on Friday senior Branch Cox's first top finish for the Cougars and solidifying graduate Claire Meyer as the leader for the women's team.

For the third time in as many meets, Meyer crossed the line first for the Cougars with a time of 20:39.30, a new career best time, and finished 27th overall in a pool of 387 finishing competitors. Meyer's top time led the women's team to a 27th place team finish in a field of 41 teams that produced at least five finishers.

Senior Kelly-Ann Beckford ran the second-best time for the women, finishing in 21:51.80 and senior Zosia Bulhak finished third for the Cougars with a time of 22:02.60 – both marks are personal best times in the 6k race.

On the men's side, Cox crossed lead the Cougars for his first time in his career with a time of 24:24.50, which was good for 65th place in a field of 365 finishers. The mark set a new personal best for the senior. Without senior team leader Brandon Seagreaves, the men's team still finished 24th overall among 39 teams with at least five finishing competitors.

Sophomore Miles Cox was the next Cougar to cross the line with a time of 24:31.00 – good for 79th overall, and freshman Aaron Crittenden set a personal best time of 24:46.10 on his way to finish 116th.

Other notable finishers, on the women's side junior Eleni Kaiser posted a time of 22:40.90 and freshman Carly Ahrens crossed the line in 26:17.30, both personal best times in the 6k race. On the men's side, graduate Brycen Pitre finished in a time of 25:13.90.The freshman improved once again with Patrick Flowers crossing at 25:29.30 mark and both Derek Waite and Michael Archie finishing with a time of 25:36.60. Each freshman set new personal best times in the 8k race.

Houston finished above Big 12 opponent Baylor on both the men's and women's sides.

UP NEXT
Houston will have two weeks to prepare before heading to compete in the program's first ever Big 12 Conference Championships in Ames, Iowa, on Oct. 27.

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