RESULTS

MADISON, Wis. (SMU) - The SMU cross country team placed 23rd out of 38 schools at the highly-competitive Wisconsin Invitational on Friday afternoon. Sophomore Agnes Sjöström and junior Shanoah Souza both finished in the top 60 in the 6K race at the Thomas Zimmer Cross Country Course.

The Mustangs finished ahead of four schools ranked in the latest USTFCCCA poll, including 23rd-ranked and reigning national champions Providence. In addition to Providence, SMU also placed ahead of No. 19 William & Mary, No. 28 Notre Dame and No. 30 BYU. Overall, 22 ranked teams competed in the field.

Sjöström finished 31st in the 265-runner field with a time of 20:29, while Souza placed just outside the top 50, clocking in at the 55th spot with a time of 20:46. Both Sjöström and Souza ran personal best times.

Rounding out the Mustangs' top five times were juniors Holly Archer, Karoline Skatteboe and Melanie Stemper. Archer finished 141st (21:37), Skatteboe placed 160th (21:43) and Stemper crossed the finish line 164th (21:47).

Also competing for the Ponies were junior Claire Trotter and sophomore Julie Vanderhout. Trotter (23:49) and Vanderhout (23:51) finished back-to-back in the 256th and 257th spots, respectively.

Michigan State, ranked second in the nation, won the invitational. Iowa State's Crystal Nelson finished first overall with a time of 19:35.

The Mustangs have next weekend off before heading to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the American Athletic Conference Championships on Friday, Oct. 31. SMU seeks its fourth consecutive league title and its sixth of the past seven years.