Complete Release
RICHARDSON - Tarleton's Vanessa Eilzondo,
Gerzain Valenzuela and
Jared McNeil were each named to the 2009 All-Lone Star Conference team following Saturday's LSC Championships in Canyon.
All-conference honors are given to those runners who finish among the top 10 individually at the conference meet, while additional awards are presented for Coach of the Year and Freshman of the Year in both the men's and women's divisions.
The Lone Star Conference recognized twenty student-athletes in all and two head coaches as league officials announced the annual cross country all-conference honors.
Elizondo, a sophomore from Stephenville, finished fourth-place overall in the women's 6-kilometer race as she led the TexAnns to a sixth-place finish.
Valenzuela, a sophomore from Hereford, placed fourth overall, while McNeil, a junior from Saginaw, finished ninth overall in the men's 8-kilometer race and guiding the Texans to a second-place finish in consecutive seasons.
Abilene Christian's Sam Burroughs and Midwestern State's Koby Styles earned men's and women's Coach of the Year acclaim after guiding their respective teams to conference titles. Freshman of the Year honors went to ACU's Colby Delbene and West Texas A&M's Aries Bazaldua.
The coaching honors were selected by a vote of all the LSC head coaches, while the freshman awards went to the top freshman finishers at the league championships.
The Wildcats Sang won the men's individual title to headline the all-conference list. He was joined by teammates Cleophas Tanui and Delbene on the All-LSC list.
Cameron's men, who finished fourth, were led by All-LSC performers Julius Korir, Josh Stewart and Mohamed Khelalfa, while East Central's Jim Sutrick and Texas A&M-Commerce's Tyler Tyndell also received recognition.
MSU's Sydnee Cole claimed the women's individual title to lead the Mustangs to the team crown. Brittney Heath and Emeline Crutcher paced Angelo State in second place to pick up All-LSC acclaim.
ECU's Sarah Reihart and Hayley Jennings earned All-LSC honors as the Tigers finished third in the team standings. Also receiving recognition were Texas A&M-Kingsville's Erica Alvarado, WT's Bazaldua, ACU's Chloe Susset and Southwestern Oklahoma's Chelsey Dillon.
