SEATTLE – Before Tarleton commenced its inaugural Division I cross country season in January, head coach Pat Ponder tabbed Kevin Baez as the unspoken leader of his men's team. 

The 14th-year coach acknowledged Baez's sophomore standing but felt he was poised to meet an inevitable jump in competition and course difficulty head-on. 

On Saturday at the Western Athletic Conference Championships, Ponder's words appeared prophetic. 

Baez finished 10th overall on the 8k course in 25:04 and received All-Conference second team honors at the conclusion of the race. He became the first athlete in Tarleton sports history to receive All-WAC recognition and now has four top-10 finishes in 8k races for his Texan career. 

Baez held his positions through the entirety of the race, which was hosted by Seattle U at Jefferson Park Golf Course. He averaged 5:03 mile pace and never dipped outside the top-15 of a 61-man field. Winter Storm Uri made for a somewhat sloppy course terrain, yet Baez was not far off the 24:43:20 time and sixth place finish he posted at the Incarnate Word Invitational on Jan. 29. 

The Vanderbilt, Texas native was the highest finisher of any Texan during the afternoon. The men finished seventh with a team score 182 points while the women, who ran a 6k race, were not scored as a team.  

Fellow sophomore Dominick Vastlik demonstrated progression in his own right, placing 30th in 26:20. Vastlik surpassed his previous personal record in championship races by exactly one minute. He took 43rd as a freshman at the 2019 Lone Star Conference Championships in 27:20 but improved in both time and finish despite jumping from Division II to Division II competition. 

Rounding out the scoring on the men's side were freshmen Riley McClure (26:54.40, 40th), Lucas Kurtz (28:30.30, 55th) and Bryer Atkinson (29:02.40, 60th). 

Imani Williams was the women's top finisher, taking 42nd in (25:18.10). It was a fitting end to a stellar four-year career for Williams, who ran her final race as a member of the cross country team on Saturday. Williams was Tarleton's top finisher in every race in 2019 and was a two-time All-LSC team selection.  

Fellow senior Johnnie Wilkinson finished right behind Williams in 25:19.20 to place 43rd. Wilkinson bested her conference championship personal record by 20 seconds and was Tarleton's No. 2 finisher in both races this spring. 

Behind Williams and Wilkinson were sophomore Kaleigh Ellis (26:23.80) and freshman Magaly Lopez (27:19.60) placed 47th and 50th, respectively. 

Tarleton now has three weeks to prepare for its inaugural Division I track and field campaign, which begins on March 18 at the Wes Kittley ACU Invitational in Abilene.