Panthers compete in Missouri Southern Stampede

JOPLIN, Mo.— Drury’s men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in their second competition of the year on Saturday at the Missouri Southern Stampede in Joplin.
 
The Drury men’s squad came in 14^th among 20 teams in the University/Open Division. The Panthers finished with 368 points, just three points away from Rogers State for 13^th and six away from Oklahoma Baptist in 12^th. Missouri Southern State won with 48 points, while Washburn was second with 88, and East Central had 99 to come in third.
 
Sophomore William Kershaw led the Panthers finishing 42^nd in the 261-runner field with a time of 25:49.96 in the eight-kilometer run. Colby Garner was right behind Kershaw in 43^rd, posting a time of 25:51.39, William Purifoy was 63^rd (26:09.36), and Cole Sutton was 141^st (27:27.96). Eros Sustaita rounded out the Panthers top five with a time of 29:37.67 to come in 222^nd. 
 
Gidieon Kimutai from Missouri Southern St. ran a winning time of 23:37.21 to take first.
 
The Drury women’s team finished 19^th among 25 squads in the University/Open Division. The Panthers had 499 points, just one point away from Rockhurst, who finished 18^th. Arkansas, ranked eighth nationally at the NCAA Division I level, won the event with 34 points, while Pittsburg State was second with 91 and Southwest Baptist was third with 117.
 
Zoe Van Dijk, a freshman from the Netherland, led Drury finishing 55^th among 251 runners with a time of 18:32.29 in the five-kilometer race. Jayme-Sue Vermaas was 64^th (18:44.73) and Jasmyn Douglas was 123^rd (19:38.41). Brylee Gogel ran the event in 20:25.95 to finish 171^st and Kamile Vaidziulyte rounded out Drury’s top five coming in 184^th (20:40.06).
 
Former Panther Katie McCune, competing for Arkansas as a graduate student, finished first with a time of 16:50.77.
 
Both Drury teams compete again on Sept. 30 in the Chili Pepper Festival hosted by the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
 
 
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