2016-17 Men's Cross Country News
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South Plains' Natassha McDonald wins 400m Canadian National Championship, will compete at IAAF World Championships
July 20, 2017The past three months have been good to South Plains track standout Natassha McDonald. As a freshman running for the Lady Texans, McDonald was crowned national champion in the women's 400 meters at the 2017 NJCAA Outdoor National meet in Hutchinson, Kansas where she posted a time of 53.52. -
Vance named Men's Outdoor National Coach of the Year, 33 South Plains athletes earn All-American honors
June 01, 2017LEVELLAND—The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its All-American recipients on Thursday for the 2017 NJCAA Div. I Outdoor Track & Field season. It came as no surprise that South Plains sat atop the men's list with 18 athletes earning All-American status in 31 different events. 15 Lady Texans were named All-Americans in 21 events.
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Vance named West Region Outdoor Head Coach of the Year, Hobbs named West Region Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year
May 17, 2017LEVELLAND—The 2016-17 campaign has been good to the South Plains College track and field coaching staff. After being named the West Region Indoor Head Coach of the Year in March, first-year head coach Erik Vance can add West Region Outdoor Head Coach of the Year to his resume after being named the top coach in the region by fellow coaches in the West region. Vance has led the Texans to a No. 2 national ranking and has the Lady Texans ranked third in the latest USTFCCCA polls. The Texans will look to capture an unprecedented 11th consecutive national title when they take to the track on Thursday at the 2017 NJCAA Outdoor National Championships at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, Ka.
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Six track and field athletes announce commitments to four-year universities on Friday
May 05, 2017LEVELLAND—The South Plains College track and field program has been a perennial powerhouse since its birth, resulting in an influx of national title trophies and a growing list of athletes who move on to four-year universities after their time on the South Plains comes to an end. This year's teams remain no different, and the list of athletes who sign to compete at the next level grew by six today at a signing ceremony held inside the Texan Club. First-year head coach Erik Vance congratulated five members of the Texans squad, and one Lady Texan, all of whom announced where they will be competing next season.
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Erik Vance named West Region Indoor Head Coach of the Year, Justin Hobbs named West Region Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year
March 07, 2017LEVELLAND—The South Plains College men's and women's Track and Field teams recently concluded their 2016-2017 Indoor season at the NJCAA Indoor National Championships in Pittsburg, Kansas on March 3-4 at the Robert W. Plaster Center on the campus of Pittsburg State University. The Texans finished the season as the National Runner-Up, while the Lady Texans brought home a third place national finish. Those accomplishments went far from unnoticed, as first-year head coach Erik Vance was named the 2017 USTFCCCA West Region Coach of the Year, and first-year assistant coach Justin Hobbs was named the 2017 USTFCCCA West Region Assistant Coach of the Year as voted on by USTFCCCA member coaches.
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Texans place 3rd, Lady Texans place 8th at National Cross Country Championships
November 12, 2016EL DORADO, Kansas—The South Plains College men's and women's cross country teams traveled to the Sunflower State on Saturday to compete at the 2016 NJCAA Cross Country National Championships at the Prairie Trails Golf Course.
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SPC Cross Country chasing national title gold in Kansas this weekend
November 10, 2016LEVELLAND, Texas—It's been 19 years since the South Plains College men's cross country team has won a national championship. When the Texans travel to El Dorado, Kansas on Saturday to compete at the 2016 NJCAA National Cross Country Championships at the Prairie Trails Golf Course, this will be a group that holds no concern of that 19-year title drought and believes they are the team to beat when they take the starting line.
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Texans earn perfect score, clinch Regional Championship title
October 29, 2016HOBBS, New Mexico—Ranked third in the country in the latest USTFCCCA national coaches' poll, the South Plains College men's cross country team was the favorite heading into Saturday's NJCAA Region V Championships at Harry McAdams Park.
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South Plains cross country dominates in Hobbs
October 14, 2016HOBBS, New Mexico—Different week. Same result. The South Plains College men's cross country team continues to solidify their claim as one of the top programs in the country after another first place finish on Friday at the University of the Southwest.
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Kosgei dominates en route to Texans first place finish at SPC Invitational
October 08, 2016LEVELLAND, Texas—Pace yourself. That was the game plan South Plains College cross country coach Frank Barker passed on to freshman standout Felix Kosgei at the South Plains College Cross Country Invitational on Saturday.
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Texans, Lady Texans cross country sweep Western Texas College Open
September 24, 2016The South Plains College men's and women's cross country teams swept both divisions at the Western Texas College Open on Saturday in Snyder. The Texans placed seven runners inside the top 10 in the men's 8K, including first place finisher Felix Kosgei, a sophomore from Eldoret, Kenya, who crossed the finish line at 27:16. Jose Silva finished just thirty seconds behind with his second place finish and final time of 27:46. Deric Martinez took third overall with his mark of 28:39, while Omrero Rodriguez took fourth with a time of 28:41.
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Texans, Lady Texans make strong showing at Texas Tech Open
September 08, 2016The South Plains College cross country teams were back in action on Thursday in Lubbock after competing in the Texas Tech Open on the Rawls golf course against an elite field of four-year universities. Following a first place finish a week ago in Abilene, the Texans strung together another solid performance in the men's 8K, placing four runners inside the top 10 and took second place overall with a final team score of 29 points, with a total team time of 2:17:45. Texas Tech would take first with a final score of 15 points, with Abilene Christian, Lubbock Christian University, and New Mexico Highlands rounding out the top five. The Texans were the top finisher in the non-Division I category.
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Justin Hobbs named new track and field assistant coach
September 07, 2016Justin Hobbs has been named the new South Plains College assistant track and field coach. A native of Waco, Texas, Hobbs comes to South Plains after serving a five-year stint as the assistant track and field coach at Tarleton State University. During the 2015-2016 season, Hobbs coached 13 athletes that reached the NCAA National Championships, with six athletes combining to earn 10 All-American honors.
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South Plains Cross Country teams set for 2016 campaign
September 02, 2016The South Plains College cross country program will begin a new era under first-year head coach Erik Vance on Friday when it travels to Abilene, Texas for the Bill Libby Cross Country Invitational on the campus of McMurry University.
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Texans, Lady Texans dominate 2016 Bill Libby Cross Country Invitational
September 02, 2016New year. New team. Similar results. The South Plains College men's and women's cross country teams opened up the 2016 season in stellar fashion on Friday night, as the Texans and Lady Texans swept the field at the Bill Libby Cross Country Invitational on the campus of McMurray University in Abilene.
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Erik Vance named new SPC track and field head coach
August 12, 2016The South Plains College Track and Field program will begin a new era under first-year head coach Erik Vance. Vance served as an assistant coach for South Plains during the 2015-16 season, playing a crucial role in helping the Texans capture their 10th consecutive NJCAA Outdoor title. Vance will take over for former head coach Chris Beene, who stepped away to enter private business after 12 successful seasons at the helm, where he compiled 32 NJCAA track and field, cross country and Half Marathon championships.
