No. 8 ranked Barton women’s cross country team compete at prestigious Chile Pepper Festival

Taking on some of the best cross country competition in the nation, members of the Barton Community College women's team competed this past Saturday in the collegiate division at the 27th annual Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival hosted by the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  The No. 8 ranked Lady Cougars placed 18th out of 33 collegiate teams in the 5k race competing against 436 competitors.  The No. 10 Razorbacks took home the university title in the seventeen team NCAA Division I field.

Lydia Mato finished 34th overall and ninth in the collegiate division in a time of 17:23.41.  Cracking the top 100 of the 215 collegiate runners, Asha Douglas placed 78th and 177th overall in 18:58.21.  

Improving from her freshman appearance at the Festival, Holly Pierce came in over two minutes faster at 19:29.74, good for a 227th overall finish and 106th in the division.    Mariah Stein placed fourth of the Barton runners coming in 351st and 168th in the division at 20:57.34.  Julee McAtee's 22:14.66 placed 197th and 406th overall while Emilykate Hopson-Boyd finished 418th and 205th in the division crossing the line in 23:04.23.

Barton will next compete this coming Saturday, October 10, at the Fort Hays State University Tiger Open in Victoria, Kansas.  Race time is set to begin at 9:00 a.m.

Complete women's 5k results