Cross Country Season Preview: Dillard

The Dillard University Cross Country program saw a change in leadership at the top of the ladder as longtime high school coach Nile Legania takes the reigns.

Coach Legania takes over a squad who placed fifth in the conference last season after spending the last ten seasons as the Head Coach at Edna Karr High School down the street in New Orleans.

The Bleu Devils return their top three runners from the previous campaign with sophomore Isaiah Rankins to go along with juniors Langston Carter-Price and Tevrin Jackson.

Rankins burst onto the scene as a freshman last year, blazing the 5th-fastest 8,000m time in the GCAC with a personal-best of 32:54.8.

Carter-Price posted a GCAC top-15 time last season with a personal-record of 34:04.5 in the 8,000m.

Jackson clocked in at 39:27.2 during the 8,000m in 2019, a top-25 time in the conference.

The men added a NCAA Division III transfer in Devonte Williams, junior Juwan Saint Charles and five incoming freshmen.

Williams makes his way to New Orleans after a year at Louisiana College. He ran a personal-record time of 19:32.0 in the 5,000m as a Wildcat.

The Lady Bleu Devils will only bring Bria Carbo back from its nine-woman 2019 roster.

Carbo logged a Top-20 personal-best time of 26:50.1 in the conference for the 5,000m while also running the fifth-best time in the GCAC of 35:05.2 during the 6,000m.

The women will mainly rely on newcomers as four of its five members are fresh out of high school.

DU will not compete in any non-conference meets with its only competition being the GCAC Cross Country Championship.

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2019 Finish: Fifth Place

Head Coach: Nile Legania (First Season)

Top Men’s Returners:
• Langston Carter-Price (Jr, Jackson, Miss.)
• Tevrin Jackson (Jr, Meridian, Miss.)
• Isaiah Rankins (So, Baton Rouge, La.)

Key Men’s Runners Lost:
• Jorden Hampton
• Raymon Johnson

Top Men’s Newcomers:
• Juwan Saint Charles (Jr, Washington, D.C.)
• Devonte Williams (So, Houma, La.)
• Dorhean Gaffney (Fr, Los Angeles, Calif.)

Top Women’s Returners:
• Bria Carbo (So, Clinton, Miss.)

Key Women’s Runners Lost:
• Tairah Jackson (Placed third in GCAC Championship with a personal-record time of 21:46.9 / best 6,000m time in GCAC with personal-record of 26:49.5)
• Kaylan Tanner (Top-20 personal-record time of 26:43.9 in GCAC for 5,000m)
• Kaylyn Turner (Top-20 time of 27:10.5 in GCAC for 5,000m / third-best and personal-record time of 31:43.4 for 6,000m)

Top Women’s Newcomers:
• Jaelynn Hoffman (Fr, Grand Rapids, Mich.)
• Rachel Jackson (Fr, Oakland, Calif.)
• Damazia Gaines (Fr, Dallas, Texas)