Friday, September 13
Houston, Texas
6:20 p.m.
Rice University
vs
Rice Invitational
Nielson Takes First as Owls Earn Team Title at Rice Invitational
9/13/2024 8:41:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
HOUSTON - The Rice Owls women's cross country team opened the 2024 season with a bang, claiming the 48th annual Rice Invitational team title with all five of Rice's scorers finishing in the top 10 of the race.
Post-Meet Reaction: Head Coach Jim Bevan
"We had a tremendous opener. It was Oliwia Kopec's first cross country race of her life, and she led for a lot of the race and was overtaken by our Heidi Nelson. Heidi is a great new leader coming from Arkansas, and the two led the whole race. I was so impressed by them. I was also impressed by a number of our athletes, including an unattached runner, Daphne [Mayer], and then we had Emma [Hourican], Alex [Gobran], Brooklyn [Crow], and Molly Humes, who were all packed in there together and were a tremendous group. It was a crazy fast first mile for the first race of the year and we held up and ran exceedingly well. This group has got a chance to be really good this year. It's a long season, and the first step was a positive step."
Red-shirt junior and newcomer this season, Heidi Nielson, claimed the individual title while freshman Oliwia Kopec was right behind to provide a 1-2 punch for the Owls.
Another Rice freshman, Brooklyn Crow, crossed the finish line in sixth, with Emma Hourican, Molly Humes and Alex Gobran all right behind.
Rice takes the team title once again after finishing in second in last season's race.
The Owls will be back in action Saturday morning, Sept. 28, at the Chile Pepper Festival at the University of Arkansas.
Rice Performers (out of 76)
1. Heidi Nielson – 13:41.20
2. Oliwia Kopec – 13:54.80
6. Brooklyn Crow – 14:17.20
7. Emma Hourican – 14:32.30
8. Molly Humes – 14:34.10
9. Alex Gobran – 14:34.70
11. Katlyn Schmeltzer - 14:41.80
21. Sutton Walsh – 15:38.70
22. Elle Garcia – 15:41.00
44. Cullen Merrell – 16:56.30
Team Finish
1. Rice – 21 points
2. Texas A&M-CC – 49
3. HCU – 102
4. Stephen F. Austin – 124
5. Prairie View – 142
6. Louisiana Tech – 164
7. LeTourneau – 189
8. Texas Southern – 216
9. St. Thomas (TX) – 225
10. Northwestern State – 237
-Did not have team finish-
North American, Victoria College
Post-Meet Reaction: Head Coach Jim Bevan
"We had a tremendous opener. It was Oliwia Kopec's first cross country race of her life, and she led for a lot of the race and was overtaken by our Heidi Nelson. Heidi is a great new leader coming from Arkansas, and the two led the whole race. I was so impressed by them. I was also impressed by a number of our athletes, including an unattached runner, Daphne [Mayer], and then we had Emma [Hourican], Alex [Gobran], Brooklyn [Crow], and Molly Humes, who were all packed in there together and were a tremendous group. It was a crazy fast first mile for the first race of the year and we held up and ran exceedingly well. This group has got a chance to be really good this year. It's a long season, and the first step was a positive step."
Red-shirt junior and newcomer this season, Heidi Nielson, claimed the individual title while freshman Oliwia Kopec was right behind to provide a 1-2 punch for the Owls.
Another Rice freshman, Brooklyn Crow, crossed the finish line in sixth, with Emma Hourican, Molly Humes and Alex Gobran all right behind.
Rice takes the team title once again after finishing in second in last season's race.
The Owls will be back in action Saturday morning, Sept. 28, at the Chile Pepper Festival at the University of Arkansas.
Rice Performers (out of 76)
1. Heidi Nielson – 13:41.20
2. Oliwia Kopec – 13:54.80
6. Brooklyn Crow – 14:17.20
7. Emma Hourican – 14:32.30
8. Molly Humes – 14:34.10
9. Alex Gobran – 14:34.70
11. Katlyn Schmeltzer - 14:41.80
21. Sutton Walsh – 15:38.70
22. Elle Garcia – 15:41.00
44. Cullen Merrell – 16:56.30
Team Finish
1. Rice – 21 points
2. Texas A&M-CC – 49
3. HCU – 102
4. Stephen F. Austin – 124
5. Prairie View – 142
6. Louisiana Tech – 164
7. LeTourneau – 189
8. Texas Southern – 216
9. St. Thomas (TX) – 225
10. Northwestern State – 237
-Did not have team finish-
North American, Victoria College
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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