OBU's Kaumba Makes It Seven Straight

September 19, 2004

JOPLIN, Mo. - Mirriam Kaumba won her seventh consecutive cross country race Saturday, holding of Oklahoma's Jessica Elrdidge by 11 seconds for a 16:30.81 win in the Southern Stampede at Missouri Southern State University.

The 2003 NAIA, Sooner Athletic Conference and Region VI champion paced a sixth-place team effort for the OBU women, who finished behind the likes of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Southwest Missouri State, Truman and Tulsa in the 24-team meet. The Lady Bison had 195 points in the 5,000-meter course.

Bekah Brock was 39th at 18:55, followed by teammates Kelsey and Katie Engstrom in 47th and 48th at 19:13 and 19:15, respectively. Kyta Ferrer was 67th at 19:45 to round out OBU's scoring. Also for the OBU women, Katy Rader was 91st (20:07), Chandra Huckabay was 113th (20:38), Sarah Hale was 128th (20:55) and Kendra Ray was 156th (21:32).

The Bison finished 10th with 116 points, led by Daniel Ellis' 36th-place finish of 25:57 on the 8,000-meter course. Landon Willets was 50th and Theron Stoltzfus 75th at 26:23 and 26:51, respectively.

David Matushak was 101st at 27:30 and Josiah White was 137th at 28:10 to fill out the scoring lineup. Cole Tunnell was 148th at 28:19, Jacob Wright was 158th at 28:38, and Nathan Battershell was 171st at 28:54.

OBU hosts the Bison Invitational at Gordon Cooper Technology Center on Saturday.