VICTORIA, Kan. – Kansas Wesleyan junior Stephanie Martinez (SR/Horizon City, Texas) finished fifth and helped lead the women’s cross country team to a fifth place finish in the women’s black division race at the Fort Hays State Tiger Open on Saturday at Sand Plum Nature Trail.

Martinez posted a time of 18:59.7 for the 5K course and was one of only three non-junior college finishers in the Top 15 of the race. Tabetha Deines (SR/Salina, Kan.) also posted a Top 20 finish in the race, finishing 18th with a time of 19:32.2.

Christina Tripp (SO/Dayton, Idaho) was 43rd with a time of 20:37.4, Regan Rhodes (JR/Mullinville, Kan.) was 54th with a time of 20:58.7, Daniella Gaona (SO/Clifton, Texas) was 61st with a time of 21:19.4, Hannah Ent (FR/Holton, Kan.) was 63rd with a time of 21:24.3, and Savannah Pilsner (FR/Columbus, Texas) was 99th with a time of 23:35.3 for the Coyotes.

KWU was just four points out of third place in the final standings. Cloud County CC was the winning team with 68 points, while Dodge City CC was second with 93. Tabor was third with 148, John Brown (Ark.) was fourth with 151 and KWU was fifth with 152 points.

The Coyotes get two weeks off before heading to Winfield for the NAIA MidStates Classic hosted by Southwestern College at the Winfield Veterans Home.