OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University became Sooner Athletic Conference women's cross country champion for the sixth consecutive year Saturday morning at Woodson Park.
Allika Pearson of John Brown (Ark.) landed the individual conference crown. Pearson boasted of the top time of 18 minutes, 8.1 seconds with an average time of 5:49.9.
Jacinda Kwambai took second for the Stars, who had six all-SAC performers. No. 23-ranked Oklahoma City reached the NAIA Championships on April 9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The Stars scored 27 points, while Wayland Baptist picked up second in the team standings with 40. OCU's Sharon Koima posted a third-place finish, while Sarah Olamide came in fifth.
Macey Currie of Oklahoma City produced an eighth-place showing, and Elizabeth Heffernan collected ninth. Kaitlyn Heffernan (14th place) also nabbed all-conference honors. Matt Aguero reeled in SAC coach of the year for the fifth straight year.
Five Wayland Baptist runners earned all-SAC – Dorcas Kosgei (fourth), Teresha Jacobs (sixth), Michaela Phipps (seventh), Elizabeth Williams (11th) and Michelle Sanchez (12th). John Brown’s other all-conference honorees were Emerson Turner (10th), Sarah Larson (13th) and Molly Brownell (15th).
Pearson won for the fourth consecutive race. Pearson, a junior from Siloam Springs, Ark., collected her third all-SAC honor. She was the league runner-up last year.
Kwambai, a sophomore from Kapsowar City, Kenya, had the No. 2 time of 18:28.8. Kwambai averaged 5:56.5 per mile.
Olamide nabbed her second all-SAC accolade with her time of 19:07.3. Olamide, a sophomore from Lagos, Nigeria, had mile splits of 6:08.9.
Currie, a junior from Oklahoma City, seized her second all-SAC nod with a time of 19:45.7. Elizabeth Heffernan, a freshman from Bentonville, Ark., recorded a mark of 19:50.5.
| Sooner Athletic Conference Awards |
| All-Conference |
| No. |
Name |
School |
Time |
| 1. |
Allika Pearson |
John Brown |
18:08.1 |
| 2. |
Jacinda Kwambai |
Oklahoma City |
18:28.8 |
| 3. |
Sharon Koima |
Oklahoma City |
18:51.2 |
| 4. |
Dorcas Kosgei |
Wayland Baptist |
19:00.9 |
| 5. |
Sarah Olamide |
Oklahoma City |
19:07.3 |
| 6. |
Teresha Jacobs |
Wayland Baptist |
19:15.6 |
| 7. |
Michaela Phipps |
Wayland Baptist |
19:30.7 |
| 8. |
Macey Currie |
Oklahoma City |
19:45.7 |
| 9. |
Elizabeth Heffernan |
Oklahoma City |
19:50.5 |
| 10. |
Emerson Turner |
John Brown |
19:58.4 |
| 11. |
Elizabeth Williams |
Wayland Baptist |
20:02.2 |
| 12. |
Michelle Sanchez |
Wayland Baptist |
20:15.3 |
| 13. |
Sarah Larson |
John Brown |
20:46.0 |
| 14. |
Kaitlyn Heffernan |
Oklahoma City |
21:03.3 |
| 15. |
Molly Brownell |
John Brown |
21:12.8 |
| Coach of the year |
| Matt Aguero, Oklahoma City |