Hounds 15th at Division II national meet

Freedom New Mexico

SPOKANE, Wash. — It wasn’t Eastern New Mexico University’s day Saturday in the NCAA Division II men’s national cross country championship.

The Greyhounds, who had won all but one meet they entered this season and were ranked eighth coming in, finished 15th out of 24 teams with 388 points in the program’s first trip to the Division II nationals.

Western State (Colo.) denied fellow Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference member Adams State its fourth consecutive national title, riding a one-two finish from Ryan Haebe and Tyler Pennel to easily winn the team title with 27 points. The Grizzlies were second with 69 points.

Junior Isaiah Samoei was ENMU’s top finisher, finishing 57th in a field of 157 runners with a time of 32 minutes, 44.9 seconds. Freshman Tyler Saiz was 74th in 32:59.5, and junior Jacob Lozano placed 82nd in 33:07.7.