Junior captain Troy Taylor led the men's team to a fourth place finish in the 10K race with a time of 30:01.7, getting eighth place and qualifying for NCAA Nationals in Terre Haute, Indiana.

"Troy told the guys before the race that it was just like any other race, and his calm and collected attitude carried him through the race well," said North Texas head cross country coach Stefanie Slekis. "He has come a long way in the past year, and earning a spot at the National Championship to compete against the best in the country is exactly where he needs to be as we prepare for his bigger track goals."

Senior Alejandro Valencia, who placed 17th with a time of 30:17.3, and junior Silvester Harrison, who finished 25th with a time of 30:26.4, also earned men's all-region honors. This was a substantial improvement for the Mens team to have three athletes earn All-Region Honors after not having any individuals take All-Region honors last year when the team relied on a tight pack for their 6th place team finish. 

"Our men ran great today. Our 4th runner today, Bryce McAndrew, equaled the place of our top runner last year. This is a great sign for the program as we continue to work towards our goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championship as a team," said Slekis.

The women's team also maintained their eighth place ranking. Senior Charlotte Wilson placed 13th in the women's 6K race with a time of 20:42.4. Wilson earned all-region honors and placed the highest at the regional championship for a female North Texas runner in at least the past 10 years.

"I am so proud of how Charlotte raced today," said Slekis. "She went with the front group to give herself a chance to qualify for the NCAA meet, and even though that didn't happen she still finished strong to help our team and make some North Texas history."

"The women ran really well...It was quite an accomplishment to have the highest team finish in the past 10 years and our 2nd year to finish as a top 10 team. I'm excited for what this group can do next year as we only graduate Charlotte," said Slekis.

"I know Troy's ready to give one more big 10k effort and see how high he can place at the National level," said Slekis.

Mean Green cross-country ended on a high note with one of their best seasons in recent program history. As for Troy Taylor, he will run Nationals in Terre Haute, Indiana on Nov. 22.