Texas A&M
NCAA South Central Regional
Joe Sauvageau earns berth to NCAA Championship
Nov 14, 2009 | Track and Field
Nov. 14, 2009
WACO - A pair of top 10 finishes from seniors Joe Sauvageau and Mitch Bible highlighted Texas A&M's performance at the South Central Regional, held Saturday on the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course.
Running a distance of 10,000 meters amid ideal conditions Sauvageau finished sixth in a field of 134 runners with a time of 30:54.9 as Bible claimed 10th in 31:13.8.
Arkansas won the men's title with 47 points and Texas finished second with 74 as they both earned the automatic team spots for the NCAA Championships. Lamar finished third in team scoring with 83 points, just six points in front of Texas A&M's 89.
Stephen F. Austin placed fifth with 159 points. The rest of the top 10 teams included McNeese State (185), Baylor (215), Arkansas-Little Rock (225), UTSA (225), and Rice (227).
"We were counting on making it to nationals as a team, but sometimes it doesn't go that way," noted Sauvageau. "It's kind of bitter sweet to have a good day individually, but come up short of our team goal. It reminds me of my senior year in high school when I performed well at State, but our team didn't do as well.
"Cross country is a team sport, that's what it is all about. We just didn't get it done today. I'm happy with my personal race."
Sauvageau locked up a trip to the NCAA Championship race in Terre Haute, Indiana, with his performance. He was the third-best finisher not on an advancing team. The national meet will be held on Monday, Nov. 23.
"I just had it in my legs today," Sauvageau stated. "It's not every day you can go out and feel great during a race. It just happened to fall on this day.
"Running this course a third time is a definite advantage. Plus the weather was in our favor today, it's just like we train in all year long."
Bible, meanwhile, is a solid candidate to be an at-large individual selection or can be an automatic selection if Lamar is selected as an at-large team to the NCAA field.
Andrew Montes, the third senior among the Aggies leading crew, placed 17th with a clocking of 31:39.3 while sophomore Kevin Burnett placed 25th in 32:09.5. Rounding out the team's scoring position was James Hodges in 33rd with a 32:32.4.
The rest of the A&M squad included Wes Caceras in 54th (33:21.6) and Jimmy Welin in 82nd (34:12.3).
"As a team on the whole, I think we had a good season," Sauvageau observed. "We had some young guys step it up in Burnett and Hodges. They each did a great job as sophomores.
"Montes and Bible were real strong all season long helping to lead the team. Montes was a great leader for us this year, coming out of nowhere with the performances he turned in. He impressed us all running that well."
Arkansas, who had an 18-year winning streak at the South Central Region snapped by A&M last season, was led by a 1-2 finish from Dorian Ulrey (30:24.6) and Soloman Haile (30:25.9). The rest of the top five individual finishers included Lamar's Francis Kasagule (30:28.4), Habben Berhane of Texas (30:33.6) and Joshua Sawe of McNeese State (30:49.1).
A young Aggie women's squad was led by Katherine Devlin, who placed 17th with a time of 21:35.4 on the 6,000-meter course amid a field of 134 runners. Texas A&M totaled 285 points to place ninth in team scoring.
SMU won the team title with 43 points with host Baylor claiming second with 54 points. Arkansas finished third at 66 points while Texas (124) and Rice (172) completed the top five.
Rounding out the top 10 teams were Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (199), Houston (208), SFA (233), Texas A&M and McNeese State (300).
Finishing behind Devlin for the Aggies were Kirsten Brown in 58th (23:06.4), Tara Upshaw in 84th (23:45.0), and Kasey McNorton in 88th (23:54.9).
Also competing for the A&M women were Lexi Crommett (112th - 24:44.7).
Players Mentioned
