Baylor Gets A Crucial Championship Course Test Before Big 12 Run

Baylor's cross country teams are set to showcase their skills at the prestigious LaVern Gibson course, with standout athletes like Khadijah Ennasri and Ruth Kimeli leading the charge.

Baylor’s cross country teams will get an early look at the NCAA Championship venue on Friday when they race at the Nike XC Town Twilight at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind.

For the women, the lineup includes a notable debut: senior transfer Khadijah Ennasri, who comes over from Eastern Kentucky, will wear a Baylor uniform for the first time in the 6K race set for 4 p.m. CT. She’ll be joined by senior Mackenize Browne, juniors Ruth Kimeli, Ella Perry and Lucy Benton, and sophomores Rachel Haws, Eva Jacobsen and Rickeisha Simms.

Baylor coach David Barnett said the trip gives his teams a chance to see the NCAA Championship course ahead of the meet on Nov. 21 in Terre Haute.

"Excited for the opportunity to compete on the NCAA Championship course," Baylor coach David Barnett said, referencing the NCAA Championship on Nov. 21 back in Terre Haute. "It will be a good test for our teams on hilly terrain as we continue to prepare for the Big 12 Championships in a month."

The Baylor women are coming off a strong showing at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Ala., where Kimeli opened her season with a ninth-place finish and a career-best 5K time of 16:18.8. That performance helped the Bears finish 12th among 31 teams.

The men will also field a full lineup for only the second time this season. Senior Straton Miller will race alongside juniors Jack Sterrett and Caden Biltz, plus freshmen Caleb Larsen and Matthew King.

Sterrett posted a 10th-place finish at the Aggie Opener, while Larsen and King led Baylor at the Texas A&M Invitational. King crossed in 36th with an 8K time of 25:35.8.

The men’s 8K race is scheduled for 4:40 p.m. CT.

After Friday’s meet, Baylor closes the regular season at the Arturo Barrios Invitational in College Station on Oct. 16 before the Big 12 Championship on Oct. 31 in Stillwater, Okla.

Live results for Friday’s meet will be available at Nike XC Town Twilight.

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