FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. | Starlynn Costa led the way for the South Alabama women's cross country team for the second-straight meet as she placed 29th with a new personal-best time of 17:50.0 Friday at the 35th Annual Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival held at Agri Park.

In the 227-runner field of the women's collegiate "Harter's Habanero" 5K, Arkansas's Paityn Noe took home top honors in the 5k race with a time of 16:09.1 – over 30 seconds faster than the rest of the field – while the Razorbacks captured the top four spots and six of the top 12 to win the team competition with 20 points.

South's women placed 13th out of the 34-team field.

On the men's side, former Jag Kirami Yego earned top individual honors for Arkansas with a time of 23:14.1, 22 seconds faster that fellow teammate Ben Shearer (23:36.6). Like on the women's side, the Razorbacks placed six in the top 10 to run away with the team title with 18 points. 

Amos Pkemboi placed 66th with a time of 25:37.4 to pace the Jaguars.

Head coach Parker Cowles
- On the women's 5k:
"The women ran well today. Not everything went perfect. The course was choppy and we had some falls. It was hot and that can wear on you, but they gave a full effort.
"When the line up faltered, we had some ladies step up in a big way. I was especially pleased with Tyndal Griffith and Charlene Elizondo. The two freshmen raced like veterans."

- On the next race for the men:
"We race again in two weeks. The men need to be more prepared and focused. We also have to execute better. Mostly, we just need to be a grittier group."

Up Next
•    South Alabama will compete in its final regular-season meet on Friday, October 13 at the Crimson Classic hosted by Alabama. The meet will open up with the men's 8k at 8:20 a.m. followed by the women's 6k at 9:20 a.m. at the Harry Pritchett Running Park in Tuscaloosa, Ala. 

Post-Race Notes
•    Friday marked the first time since the 2018 season in which the Jaguars had competed at the Chile Pepper Festival
•    Katie Giles, Charleen Elizondo and Maria Gelvez made their Jaguar debuts in the women's 5k race
•    Costa bested her previous personal best time in the distance by nearly 40 seconds, eclipsing her time of 18:32 set in the season-opener at the beginning of the month
•    Tyndal Ann Griffith (19:08.4) also trimmed nearly a minute off her previous best time in the 5k

Men's Team Top 10 Finishes – 8k 
1. Arkansas (18); 2. Western Colorado (93); 3. UIW (137); 4. Arkansas State (158); 5. Oklahoma (235); 6. Rice (277); 7. Nebraska-Kearney (293); 8. Central Missouri (294); 9. Trinidad State (315); 10. Central Arkansas (334)
28. South Alabama (845)

Men's Individual Top 10 Finishes
1. Kirami Yego, Arkansas (23:14.1); 2. Ben Shearer, Arkansas (23:36.6); 3. Kidus Misgina, Trinidad State (24:00.2); 4. Elias Schreml, Arkansas (24:04.4); 5. Reuben Reina, Arkansas (24:06.0); 6. Myles Richter, Arkansas (24:10.1); 7. Simon Kelati, Western Colorado (24:18.2); 8. Gidieon Kimutai, Missouri Southern (24:21.9); 9. Griffin Neal, UIW (24:28.9); 10. Tommy Romanow, Arkansas (24:32.0)
66. Amos Pkemboi, South Alabama (25:37.4)

South Alabama Men's Individual Finishes
66. Amos Pkemboi (25:37.4); 150. Lance Cunigan (26:47.9); 181. Tyler Doty (27:09.2); 191. Xavier Johnson (27:27.1), 261. Blayton Bernard (28:33.4); 284. Jake Thompson (30:13.7)

Women's Team Top 10 Finishes – 5k
1. Arkansas (20); 2. SMU (89); 3. Western Colorado (121); UT-Arlington (169); 5. Arkansas State (220); 6. Central Arkansas (232); 7. Lamar (241); 8. TCU (313); 9. Missouri State (322); 10. Missouri Southern (341)
13. South Alabama (376)

Women's Individual Top 10 Finishes
1. Paityn Noe, Arkansas (16:09.1); 2. Sydney Thorvaldson, Arkansas (16:44.1); 3. Laura Taborda, Arkansas (16:49.8); 4. Heidi Nielson, Arkansas (16:56.9); 5. Kaitlyn Gearin, SMU (16:58.2); 6. Matroline Jepkemboi, UT-Arlington (17:03.3); 7. Rahel Broemmel, Arkansas State (17:04.0); 8. Allison Beasley, Western Colorado (17:10.5); 9. Isabela Ross, Southern Miss (17:14.0); 10. Mia Cochran, Arkansas (17:15.0)
29. Starlynn Costa, South Alabama (17:50.0)

South Alabama Women's Individual Finishes
29. Starlynn Costa (17:50.0); 66. Charleen Elizondo (18:29.1); 110. Teanna Cason (18:54.2); Clervie Chagot (18:57.4); 133. Tyndal Ann Griffith (19:08.4); 138. Maria Gelvez (19:11.7); 176. Abbey Weitenbeck (19:27.7); 177. Macy Livingston (19:28.0); 245. Katie Miller (20:24.3); 289. Katie Giles (22:25.0)

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