For Immediate Release: Friday, 21 September 2001
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Director of Athletic Media
Relations, (956) 381-2240
HOUSTON – Two was the operative number for the University of Texas-Pan American cross country teams at the University of Houston Invitational here Friday evening.
Both teams finished second, and senior Perla Rios-Handy (LaPorte, TX/LaPorte HS) finished second individually.
The UTPA women’s team scored 45 points. UH won the meet with 19. UTPA’s men scored 67 points, while the host Cougars were champions with a perfect score of 15.
Rios-Handy posted a time of 17 minutes, 30 seconds for the three-mile course. She finished 13 seconds behind the champion, Houston’s Jessie Oakes.
Junior Israel Arroyo (Houston, TX/Memorial HS), competing in his hometown, paced the men by finishing eighth. His time was 21 minutes, 36 seconds for the four-mile course. Junior Martin Longoria (Edcouch, TX/Edcouch-Elsa HS) was ninth in 22:09.
“Both of our teams did a great job of competing,” said UTPA Head Coach Ricky Vaughn. “Perla ran well, and the rest of the team did a great job moving up closer to her. The whole men’s team ran a lot better than they did the first time out. I was really pleased with both team’s efforts.”
The Broncs and Lady Broncs will return to action
when they host the Adrian Gonzalez Invitational next Saturday, September 29th.
UTPA MEN'S RESULTS
8-Israel Arroyo (21:36), 9-Martin Longoria (22:09), 13-Esteban Reyna (22:48), 18-Carlos Gallegos (24:22), 19-Roosevelt Campbell (24:26).
TEAM SCORES-Houston 15, UTPA 67, Texas Southern 79, Prairie View A&M 80.
UTPA WOMEN'S RESULTS
2-Perla Rios-Handy (17:30), 13-Maria Gonzalez (18:50), 14 Claudio Rosas (19:03), 16-Patricia Villareal (19:13), 18-Milagros Martinez (21:42).
TEAM SCORES-Houston 19, UTPA 45, Texas Southern 76, Prairie View A&M 106.
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