Results
The Mustangs took second place in this morning's American Athletic Conference Championship with four athletes recognized in the awards ceremony. This year's finish is the highest since 2017.
"We had a good day," Head Coach A'Havahla Haynes said. "We came away with three All-Conference individuals and the Women's Freshman of the Year. We had our top-5 in the top-20, and we knew that, if we placed five in the top-20, we would have a shot at the championship. The women as an entire group ran the best we have ever run – we gave ourselves a shot, but Tulsa just ran better today."
SMU's spread from each athlete was only 48 seconds – the best of the field.
"We had the closest spread of the competition and our best this season," Haynes said.
Senior Maddie Hulcy earned AAC All-Conference honors with her sixth-place finish. She ran the 6k ran in a time of 21:03.4. Hulcy ran a consistent race – coming through the 2k mark in seventh and moving up into her finishing placement midway through the race. In her final conference competition for SMU, Hulcy hoped to take home first place as a team, but she said she is still very proud of how far the team has come since she first stepped onto campus as a Mustang.
"I think everyone gave their all out there, and I know this team is just going to keep getting better," Hulcy said. "It's been a privilege to be a part of it."
Kaitlyn Gearin, who was last year's AAC Freshman of the Year, also earned AAC All-Conference honors coming across the finish line next for SMU placing 10th with a time of 21:10.3. Gearin said she is proud of the team's efforts today and inspired by the performances of her teammates.
"While we didn't come away with the win, we had great races across the board, and we have made so much progress as a team," Gearin said. "Personally, I wish I had more to give over the last 2k, but I think I can learn from this race. We can all walk away from conference with confidence heading into regionals."
Alanis Fauvey Robineau came in 15th to be the third Mustang across the line. Although she had hoped to run with the lead group from the start of the race, she made up 10 spots from the first 2k to the finish line running a time of 21:39.0 and earned a medal for AAC All-Conference.
"I am proud of our team even though we came to win today," Fauvey Robineau said. "We will do even better next year."
Leoni Mierswa just missed out on a medal coming in 16th among the competition running a time of 21:40.6. She said this year the team is closer than ever before, and it shows in the way the support each other.
"The night before the race, we drove back from dinner playing music, singing along and having a good time," Mierswa said. "This creates a great atmosphere to train and compete in. We were all in this together, and it feels good to be surrounded by teammates and friends."
She said this morning's race went well for her.
"I am happy to see how much I improved compared to last year," Mierswa said. "I am sad that we didn't win the team trophy and I narrowly missed the All-Conference team, but we will try again next year! Now, I hope we can show what we got at regionals in two weeks. We did well, but we have more in us!"
Freshman Macey Hilton ran a time of 21:51.3 -- good enough to place 19th and also be awarded the AAC Freshman of the Year. She consistently climbed the ranks throughout the race coming through the 2k mark in 30th and the 4k mark in 24th – climbing five more spots in the final 2k of the race.
"It has been good coming from the other side of the world and being welcomed so well into the team," Hilton said. "I have loved training so far with the girls, and it's been awesome to see what we can achieve together already. I was happy with how today went and look forward to the rest of the season and spring."
Jessie Crowley finished in 29th with a time of 22:11.2.
"Going into the race, we were hoping for the win but, despite missing that goal, we still all ran good races," Crowley said. "The race started off well, and we were able to work our way forward from there. We all ran a really strong race today, and I'm proud of how hard we have worked and how far we've come as a team."
Senior Lior Kremer ran a time of 22:23.3 for 34th place in her final AAC Championship as a Mustang.
"Seeing the team grow for the last four years has been inspiring," Kremer said. "We became a family, and it shows in how we train and race. While we did not win, we have come so far, and I am so proud of the team."
Nikoleta Rafailaki moved up ten places in the final 2k of the race to finish 50th among the field. She ran a time of 22:29.7.
"I know I could have done better in today's race, but we learn from our mistakes and I promise I'll come back stronger," Rafailaki said. "I am really proud of my distance ponies and so grateful to be a part of this amazing group of people."
Kendall Saeger wasn't far being in 56th – making up nine placements from the 2k point of the race. She ran a time of 22:57.7.
"I am so proud of all of the women on this team who have put in work day in and day out to prepare for this meet," Saeger said. "Though the result might now have been exactly what we wanted, I think this was a step in the right direction, and I'm very excited for what's to come."
Next up for the Mustangs is the NCAA South Central Regionals on November 11th in College Station.
"We need to keep focus as we head into regionals," Haynes said. "Good things are happening."
FULL MUSTANG RESULTS
6 Maddie Hulcy 21:03.4
10 Kaitlyn Gearin 21:10.3
15 Alanis Robineau Fauvey 21:39.0
16 Leoni Mierswa 21:40.6
19 Macey Hilton 21:51.3
29 Jessie Crowley 22:11.2
34 Lior Kremer 22:23.3
50 Nikoleta Rafailaki 22:49.7
56 Kendall Saeger 22:57.7
TEAM RESULTS
1 Tulsa 37
2 SMU 66
3 Cincinnati 95
4 Tulane 120
5 Wichita State 126
6 Memphis 174
7 Houston 196
8 UCF 205
9 East Carolina 214
10 Temple 215
11 South Florida 313
