2019 Capital Cross Challenge Results

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In a preview of the course that will determine NCAA Division II Nationals this year, Academy of Art men's cross country had many of its qualifiers ascend in the individual standings on Saturday morning in Sacramento State's Capital Cross Challenge. Rising 40 spots over the course of the 8k race, redshirt senior Rabah Houali again led the way for the team at the Haggin Oaks Golf Course.

Staying together as they have done the previous two races, Houali and graduate student Charlie Messai were in the 112 range just after the second mile and, by the end, both had cracked the top 100 with Houali 71st overall (25:08.8) and Messai taking 99th (25:24.27).

One of the biggest jumps came from sophomore Hudson Lockette who opened in the 177th range then passed numerous competitors from the 280-man field to rise over 60 spots for 114th overall with an 8k career-best time of 25:32.94.

Rounding out the Academy of Art qualifiers was sophomore Markus Anderson Deakin who moved up 41 places from the second mile to finish 147th (25:47.08) and graduate student James Young who came in 164th (25:58.03) in his debut with the team.

As a team, ART U placed 20th overall (572), 16 points back of host Sacramento State and 13 points ahead of Southern Oregon. Notable teams behind the Urban Knights were Cal State East Bay (23rd), Notre Dame de Namur (26th), Azusa Pacific (30th), and Fresno Pacific (33rd). The race's individual victor was Jake Ritter of the race's top finishing team NCAA Division I Cal Poly with Alaska Anchorage's Wesley Kirui a close second individually and Chico State 16 points back in second place.

Academy of Art will next contest its lone San Francisco meet with the SF State Invitational coming up the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 11 in Golden Gate Park.