The Ole Miss Cross Country teams started their seasons strong at the Memphis Twilight Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 30. The men’s team took home the title, and the women’s team finished as the runner-ups, just two points behind Mississippi State.
This was an impressive showing for No. 27-ranked Rebel men. Redshirt sophomore Zack Gilbertson set the tone, finishing the four mile course in 19:18.57. All Rebel scorers landed inside the Top 12 with a spread of just 24.77 seconds.
The Ole Miss women also performed well. Despite their young core, the Lady Rebels left no doubts about their abilities and finished with 44 points, winning second place. Over the five kilometer distance, all Lady Rebel scorers placed in the Top 15. Freshman Leah Penick led the pack with a 17:21.7 in her Ole Miss debut.
Head coach Adam Smith was proud of his team’s performance. In an interview with The Daily Mississippian, he said that this team is one of the closest groups he has worked with — and this shows on the course.
“I think everybody knows they have a job to do, and they are holding each other accountable,” Smith said. “On the women’s side, we’ve got a really good combination of some really young, good ladies who I think are going to be great with some awesome upper leadership.”
Last season, the men’s team qualified for the NCAA Cross Country National Championships, but the women’s team fell one spot short. This season, Smith knows both teams are capable of competing at nationals: since the meet will be at Missouri’s home course, the Ole Miss cross country teams get the chance to run the course twice during the regular season.
Also, in recent seasons, the men’s team has been knocking on the door of an SEC Championship victory. For important meets like these, tactics can play a crucial role, but Smith says he only gameplans to a small extent.
“We are going to come up with our plan and we are going to talk about it,” Smith said. “Then we (need) to execute when the gun goes off. I try to bring a lot of confidence and encouragement to our guys throughout the week. Then, once it’s the day, it is really just not making the moment too big and just doing your job.”
Both teams return to competition at the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Mo., on Friday, Sept. 26.
