The University of Texas at Dallas men’s cross country team won its fourth league title in the last six seasons Oct. 28 at the 2023 American Southwest Conference (ASC) Championships in Abilene, Texas.
The Comets placed five runners in the top 14 to outdistance runner-up McMurry University by 30 points. UT Dallas also won the ASC crown in 2018, 2019 and 2020-21.
Graeme Maclean, who won medalist honors last year, finished second individually, covering the 8-kilometer course in 25:38.9. He earned first-team All-ASC honors for the third time.
Christopher Castro and Frank Douglas also earned first-team All-ASC honors. Castro placed fifth, while Douglas finished seventh to win the ASC’s Freshman of the Year award. Douglas is the fourth Comet in program history to be named the ASC’s Freshman of the Year.
Zach Johnson, who placed 10th, and Devan Bailey, who finished 12th, earned second-team All-ASC honors. John Youssef and Matthew Chimitt also placed in the top 20, finishing 17th and 18th, respectively.
UT Dallas’ coaches — head coach Danielle Kcholi, assistant coach Aaron Capehart and volunteer assistant Trent Sakakini BS’21 — won the ASC Coaching Staff of the Year award.
Meanwhile, the women’s cross country team placed fourth at the ASC Championships with Rebeca Betanzo finishing third in the 6-kilometer race. Betanzo and Sage Herrera, who placed sixth, each earned first-team All-ASC accolades for their performances.
The Comets will compete at the NCAA Division III West Regional in Riverside, California, on Saturday, Nov. 11.
Soccer Teams Start Postseason Play
The UT Dallas men’s soccer team advanced to the semifinals in its ASC championship tournament with a 5-1 victory over the University of the Ozarks on Oct. 31. The Comets will play the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on Nov. 2 in Belton, Texas.
The season for the women’s soccer team ended with a 3-0 loss to McMurry University in the ASC tournament quarterfinals.