Aggies Explore New Course at Missouri's Gans Creek Classic

Friday, September 27

Columbia, Mo.

5:00 PM

Texas A&M

Gans Creek Classic

Photo by: Craig Bisacre/Texas A&M Athletics

Sep 24, 2019 | Cross Country

Missouri Course Map

COLUMBIA, Missouri – Texas A&M's first road trip during the cross country season has the squad competing in Missouri's Gans Creek Classic this Friday, September 27, as they race on a course recently built at Gans Creek Recreation Area.

Following a dedication of the new venue, the women's race over 6,000m starts at 5 p.m. while the men cover an 8,000m course with a start time of 5:30 p.m. The Aggies, ranked No. 3 in the South Central Region, will have 10 athletes competing in each race.

"I think it's good for us to get on the road and get some experience running against teams from different parts of the country," Texas A&M assistant coach Wendel McRaven noted. "We'll take most of our top group that will be a big part of the SEC and NCAA crew.

"Getting on the road, seeing a new course and some teams we don't see regularly it will be good for us. It's good to learn that travel routine so it isn't so unusual when we do it in the post-season."

Texas A&M will be part of a field of 11 teams which includes Alabama-Birmingham, Drake, Illinois State, Missouri, Missouri-Kansas City, North Florida, Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois, Southern Louisiana, and Texas Tech. Live results from the meet will be available at https://results.flotrack.org/XC-PTT.html?mid=1765

Missouri women are ranked No. 5 in the Midwest Region while in the men's field Missouri is ranked No. 9 and Drake is No. 12 in the Midwest Region.

"It will be good to compete with Missouri," McRaven said. "I think they were picked ahead of us in the SEC pre-season poll so it will be nice to see where we stack up against them in late September."

Competing for A&M in the women's race are Julia Black, Rebecca Bonta, Ashley Driscoll, Megan Hopper, Ashton Hutcherson, Sarah Pia, Grace Plain, Mary Rodriguez, Abbey Santoro and Kelsie Warren.

The Aggie men's crew will include Jon Bishop, Johnathon Blaine, Eric Casarez, Colton Colonna, Gavin Hoffpauir, Jackson Jett, Wes McPhail, Joel Potter, Zephyr Seagraves and Harrison Tillman.

"I'm excited to see Missouri's new course," stated McRaven. "Missouri came here the first year we had the full Texas A&M Invitational on the Watts course so I'm happy to return the favor.

"It looks like a great setting and it will be fun to be a part of the first meet ever held on that course. Just like our course, they hope to someday host the national championships there. It is great to see schools and communities investing in permanent cross country courses."