LUBBOCK, Texas – Eastern New Mexico cross country competed at the 2026 Lone Star Conference Championships on Saturday morning at the LCU Cross Country Course, with sophomore Chama El Hadiri leading the Greyhounds with a sixth-place individual finish. Both the men's and women's teams finished 12th overall, improving one spot from their respective finishes at last year's conference championships.
El Hadiri highlighted the day for Eastern, completing the women's 6-kilometer race in 22:01.8 to finish sixth overall and earn All-Lone Star Conference honors for the second consecutive season. The Marrakech, Morocco, native improved seven positions from her 13th-place finish at the 2025 conference championships while shaving more than 20 seconds off her previous championship time. Her performance also marked a season-best effort in the 6K.
Elizabeth Lujan-Towles was the next Greyhound across the line, finishing 62nd overall with a time of 25:01.8. Senior Maya Garcia Schafer followed in 77th place, recording a time of 25:28.6, while freshman Elsa Tagesson crossed the finish line in 26:15.1 to finish 90th.
Joella Mathilda rounded out Eastern's five scoring runners, placing 106th with a time of 27:30.0. Alexandria Renteria followed in 111th place (27:58.9), while Kayla Brachman finished 113th (28:35.5). Valentina Rocabado Salazar completed the Greyhound women's contingent in 118th place (31:10.4).
On the men's side, freshman Isaac Lacey paced Eastern in the 8-kilometer race, finishing 22nd overall with a time of 25:35.2. Lacey's performance marked the highest individual finish for the Greyhound men, placing just outside the top 20 in his first career conference championship meet.
Freshman Mason Taylor was Eastern's second finisher, placing 75th overall with a time of 27:03.9. Erardo Gonzales followed closely behind in 76th place, crossing the line in 27:08.1, just over four seconds behind Taylor.
Eloy Serrano-Borrego finished 97th overall with a time of 27:58.2, while Rodrigo Pinales rounded out the Greyhounds' scoring five in 105th place (28:24.6). Aiden Ramirez completed Eastern's men's lineup, finishing 111th with a time of 28:56.0.
West Texas A&M captured both the men's and women's team championships, with Meshack Keter winning the men's individual 8K title in 23:51.9 and Lola Sarthou taking the women's 6K crown in 21:16.6.
Eastern New Mexico will return to Lubbock on Saturday, Nov. 21, for the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships, hosted at the LCU Cross Country Course. The men's race will increase to 10 kilometers, while the women will compete at the 6K distance as the Greyhounds continue postseason competition.
