Gold Nuggets dominate en route to 14th straight GCAC Women’s Cross Country title

CLINTON, Miss. – The Xavier University of Louisiana women’s cross country program captured its 14th consecutive GCAC Championship dating back to 2006, doubling up the previous record of seven by Mobile from 1993-2000.

XULA had five of its six runners place inside the top-ten with its sixth just missing the cut at 11th and garnered 28 points. Philander Smith claimed the runner-up slot with two top-five placements while scoring 51 points. Dillard came in third with runners earning fourth and sixth place finishes to tally 56 points in total. Edward Waters rounded out the bunch with 85 points while Tougaloo did not receive a team score.

Xavier freshman Jalyn Jenkins won the individual GCAC crown with a time of 21:10.24, finishing almost a minute ahead of the next closest competitor. Fellow freshman and teammate Regean Collins logged a third place time of 22:33.27 while Emerald Carter (23:26.95), Alexis Williams (24:07.53) and Darryan Horton (24:22.04) were seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively.

Philander Smith was also led by a freshman in the form of Ishmia Black whose 22:04.28 earned her the runner-up spot. PSC’s Graciela Gomez received fifth for her 23:09.65 dash.

Dillard saw a pair of freshmen land among the top-six as Jaelynn Hoffman (23:03.42) got fourth and Rachel Jackson (23:22.55) slotted in at sixth. Cymone Winters filled the final slot on the All-GCAC team with a mark of 24:40.29.
The top runner for Edward Waters was Tiara Taylor, coming in 12th with a time of 24:48.68 while Tougaloo’s best finish came courtesy of Dallis Barker (33:34.72) at 21st.

Gold Nuggets Head Coach Yhann Plummer was given his third GCAC Coach of the Year Award in-a-row.

GCAC Coach of the Year: Yhann Plummer (Xavier)

All-GCAC
Rank Runner School Class Time
#1 Jalyn Jenkins, Xavier (La.), Freshman — 21:10.24
#2 Ishmia Black, Philander Smith, Freshman — 22:04.28
#3 Regean Collins, Xavier (La.), Freshman — 22:33.27
#4 Jaelynn Hoffman, Dillard, Freshman — 23:03.42
#5 Graciela Gomez, Philander Smith, Sophomore — 23:09.65
#6 Rachel Jackson, Dillard, Freshman — 23:22.55
#7 Emerald Carter, Xavier Junior — 23:26.95
#8 Alexis Williams, Xavier, Sophomore — 24:07.53
#9 Darryan Horton, Xavier, Sophomore — 24:22.04
#10 Cymone Winters, Dillard, Sophomore — 24:40.29