Bolivar, Mo. - The College of the Ozarks Bobcat and Lady Cat Cross Country teams opened their season Friday at the Southwest Baptist University Invitational in Bolivar, Missouri. Both the Bobcat AND Lady Cats are coming off solid campaigns in 2023 and they are looking to use every meet to build toward post season competition in 2024.

Facing several NCAA Division II teams, the Lady Cat turned in a 6th place team finish over the 5k run. Their time of 1:44.25 placed them behind three NCAA teams and two NAIA teams. Rebecca Loya led the way for the Lady Cats with a time of 19.50.2. Trinity Sadosky recorded a time of 20:19.5, Keena Goze crossed the line with a time of 20:44.1, and freshman Emily Zylstra finished the race in 21:24.6 in her first meet as a Lady Bobcat. Sarah Alferink, Tia Bethards, and Gracie Gatton finished with times of 22:06.9, 22:32.2 and 22:48.3 respectively. Gracie Vestal (24:07.7) and Aryssa Speights (25:29.5) rounded out the runners for the Lady Cats.

On the Bobcat side, the men placed 8th overall with a time of 1:55:14 over the four-mile course. Tanner Bailey continued his impressive career with a time of 20:39.3 and an eleventh-place finish overall. Freshman, Jack Lawson turned in a time of 22:03.0 in his first meet as a Bobcat and Alex Frizzell, Gabe Whitman, and Caleb Fewin crossed the line with times of 23:34.1, 24:27.6, and 24:30.6 respectively. Eric Burns (24:45.3), Brady Rose (26:55.9), and Cooper Miller (27;13.8) rounded out the field for the Bobcats.

The SBU meet was a great tune-up for the Bobcats and Lady Cats, and they will look to continue building on their success in the weeks to come.

The next meet for the Bobcats and Lady Cats will be Friday, September 13 when they compete in the Springfield Twilight meet hosted by Missouri State University.