ABILENE – McMurry Cross Country competes in its first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship on Saturday in Bossier City, Louisiana's South Bossier Park.
 
The women's 6K starts at 9 a.m. followed by the men's eight-kilometer at 10.
 
Colorado College is the heavy favorite in both races. The Tigers are ranked first regionally and second nationally in women's cross country and fifth regionally in men's. Trinity is rated sixth in the region women's poll and eighth on the men's side.
 
"I'm hoping for a top-three finish on both sides since this is a really tough and deep conference," said Head Coach Corey Koch.
 
Representing the McMurry women are Abigail Huffhines, Anna Dinaso, Ashley Shea, Chloe McLellan, Jocelyn Moreno, Katelyn Hernandez, Madison Soultanova and Savanna Danner.
 
The War Hawk women have won two meets this season, including a victory in its last meet, the Watson Collegiate Classic hosted by Mississippi College.

McLellan, Danner and Shea went 5-6-7 for the War Hawks with Hernandez in 24th and Dinaso in 35th to finish the scoring. McLellan ran the six kilometers in a personal-best 23:11.9 with Danner at 23:13.6 and Shea at 23:14.4. Hernandez finished in 24:18.8 and Dinaso in 24:32.8. Soultanova was 83rd at 25:57.5, Moreno was 93rd at 26:16.8 and Huffhines ran the course in 27:12.0.
 
Running for the McMurry men are Antonio Martinez, Victor Leos, Jeremiah Rodriguez, Rogelio Ramirez, Roman Perez, Kevin Gomez, Eduardo Garcia, Gabriel Sanchez, Isaac Gonzales and Patrick Esparza.
 
The McMurry men have had two top-five finishes this season and are coming off a sixth-place finish in the Watson Classic.
 
In that last meet, Sanchez led the McMurry men in 26^th place, finishing the eight kilometers in 26.01.4. Perez clocked in at 26:05.9 for 30^th and Gonzales was 31^st at 26:06.0. Ramirez finished in 47^th at 26:30.2 and  Rodriguez rounded out the scoring in 65^th at 26:59.9. Esparza finished in 27:16.8 and Martinez at 27:34.5. Also, for the War Hawks, Gomez finished in 28:18.3 and Jonathan Alter in 28:44.0.
 
Regardless of the outcome on Saturday, McMurry advances to the West Regional in Estacada, Oregon, on Nov. 15.
 
Along with McMurry, Colorado College and host Centenary, the field includes Concordia, Dallas, Ozarks, Schreiner, Southwestern, St. Thomas, Texas Lutheran and Trinity.