Morgan’s Win Leads the Way for KU at Rim Rock Classic

Results: MEN – OVERALL | Division I
              WOMEN – OVERALL | Division I

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Junior Jacob Morgan used a strong finish in the last kilometer to earn his first collegiate victory and lead the Kansas men’s cross country team Saturday morning at the Rim Rock Classic. The Jayhawk women were paced by sophomore Nashia Baker for the second-straight week as KU finished second to team champion Rice by just two points. The KU men finished fourth in the team race with the second, third and fourth-place teams separated by only nine points.
 
In his first appearance at Rim Rock Farm since a runner-up finish in his Jayhawk debut at the Bob Timmons Classic on Aug. 30, Morgan looked right at home once again while picking up his first collegiate individual victory. The junior began the race at a steady pace, and stuck with senior teammate James Wilson at the front of the lead pack for the first 6K of the 8K race.
 
With a mile to go, Morgan took over the lead and never looked back, using a strong kick to top the closest finisher by over seven seconds. Morgan posted an 8K time of 24:30.5 to earn the victory, which marked the second-straight year a Jayhawk came away as the champion from the Rim Rock Classic.
 
The Jayhawks saw three other runners tally finishes inside the top-25. Wilson was the next Crimson and Blue-clad runner to come across the finish, placing sixth after traversing the course in 24:50.5. Freshman Ben Burchstead and sophomore James Hampton clocked in less than two seconds apart, finishing 20^th and 22^nd, respectively. Burchstead posted a time of 25:34.7 with Hampton not far behind at 25:36.3.
 
Freshman Juan del Azar was the final Jayhawk scorer. He finished 58^th in 26:37.1.
 
Kansas amassed 85 points to finish fourth overall. Rice picked up the team title with 65 points, Nebraska-Kearney was second with 76 points and Cal State Fullerton was third with 77 points.
 
While the KU women were unable to get an individual winner like their male counterparts, the Jayhawks’ team performance was something to take notice of. Kansas runners claimed five of the top-13 finishes. The high group finish was of little surprise as the team continued a season-long trend of strong pack running in their first three outings.
 
A week removed from being KU’s top finisher for the first time, Nashia Baker did it again with a fifth-place performance in the 6K race. The Lansing, Kansas native stuck with the lead group comprised of her sister, Malika, and junior captain Hayley Francis. Malika Baker saved her best for the end, as she pulled away from her teammates after the 4K mark and accelerated to the finish over the last mile. Nashia Baker clocked in at 22:07, the second-fastest 6K of her young KU career.
 
Francis came down the finish chute next, tallying a ninth-place finish with her time of 22:28.1. Sophomore Rachel Simon, freshman Alaina Schroeder and sophomore Kelli McKenna were three of the next four runners to come across the finish line, and were separated by just over three seconds. Simon clocked in at 22:36.3 for 10th place, Schroeder in 22:37.0 for 11^th and McKenna rounded out the Jayhawk scoring in 22:39.8 to finish 13^th.
 
Kansas finished second in the team standings by a mere two points to a talented Rice squad.
 
The Jayhawks will now have a week off before they head to Terre Haute, Indiana to get their first look at the site of the NCAA Championships when they run at the ISU Pre-National Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 18. The women’s Blue 6K Race will start the day at 10 a.m. (CT) with the men’s 8K Blue Race to come after at 10:35 a.m. (CT). Log on to KUAthletics.com for a recap and results and follow @KansasXC for live updated throughout the morning.
 
 
 
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