Cross country to compete at Mississippi College Invitational Saturday

The Nicholls State University cross country program competes in the Mississippi College
Invitational Saturday, two weeks after competing in the McNeese Cowboy Stampede.

Head coach Stefanie Slekis said the team’s goal is to go and compete well, both against the
teams racing there and each other. Slekis also said her players are excited about this upcoming
meet in Mississippi.

“Things have been going really well for this group [for] the last couple of weeks,” Slekis said.
“They’re excited to see their hard work paying off.”

At their last competition, the Colonels finished seventh out of eight teams on both the men’s and
women’s sides. Freshman runner John Paul Spera and senior runner Hannah Naquin finished
first on each side for their teams at Lake Charles on Sept. 30 and have done the same in each
event this season.

Slekis said the longer practices and workouts will gear the team for greater results.

The race starts Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with the women running a 5K, and will follow at 9:15 a.m.
with the men running an 8K.

The Colonels look to compete with their opponents this weekend in Mississippi and then prepare
for the Southland Conference Championships on Oct. 27.