Delta State University

CLINTON, Miss. – Kristin Williams recorded an overall Top 25 result to lead the Delta State Lady Statesmen to a 8th-place team finish Saturday at the Watson Ford Invitational hosted by Mississippi College.

On a rain-soaked course at Choctaw Trails, Williams finished the 6K event in 25 minutes, 45.92 seconds, which was good for an 11th place finish in the Small College Division. She finished 21st overall.

The Lady Statesmen finished fourth among sub-Division I teams at the event.

West Florida claimed the overall team title thanks to placing three runners among the top eleven overall finishers. Bailee Hedstrom won the overall individual title with a time of 23:18.54, while teammates Karyssa Tourelle-Fallon and Kelbe Beck finished seventh and 11th, respectively.

Delta State’s Ashley Carrillo finished 35th and registered a 19th-place finish in the Small College Division with a time of 26:56.63, and Dixie Griffin completed the race with a time of 28:01.77, good for 24th place in the division.

Amanda Corneilison finished the course with a time of 28:45.52, with teammate Brittany Eikner finishing right behind her at 28:49.19, good for 29th and 31st, respectively in the Small College Division. The pair finished 54th and 59th overall to complete Delta State’s top five qualifiers in the team standings.

“We ran well despite a pretty sloppy course,” head cross country coach Doug Pinkerton said. “I’m proud of the way we ran today, and I’ve been proud of the girls every week.”

Cate Rowe (30:20.62, 79thoverall), Elizabeth Fike (30:30.40, 85th) and Hend Alboshaba (30:44.10, 87th) also competed in the field of 106 entrants.

Saturday’s event was the last preparatory competition for the Lady Statesmen before the Gulf South Conference championship meet. The event will be held Saturday, Oct. 24 in Hoover, Ala., with the women’s race set to begin at 8:30 a.m.