LAKE CHARLES – The Northwestern State cross country teams posted two top-five finishes at the McNeese State Cowboy Stampede on Saturday morning.
 
The Lady Demons continued to build off its sweep of the Louisiana Tech Mook Triple Duals by posting a third-place result in a ten-team field that featured Rice, Southeastern, Houston Baptist, Grambling, Nicholls State, Southern, Alcorn State, Texas Southern and host McNeese.
 
Senior Erin Wrozek once again led the way for NSU with a time of 19:04 to finish 15^th overall in the 5k event.
 
Fellow senior Emily Sitarz followed up her strong performance at Louisiana Tech with a 30^th place finish (20:02) to be the second lady Demon to cross the line at McNeese.
 
"Her (Sitarz) performance has been huge thus far," head coach Chris Sauer said. "She was someone who has struggled throughout her college career, and I think that had to do with the coaching changes. But shew as able to gain some traction this summer working with Jacqueline Rushford, which has led to one of the biggest transformations we have had on the team."
 
NSU continues to enjoy the return of Jacqueline Rushford, who was 32^nd on the day with a time of 20:06.
 
Other Lady Demons contributing include Emily Heard (34^th, 20:15), Isabella Hudson (42^nd, 21:11), Hannah Heidebrecht (43^rd, 21:18), Sasha Ballard (53^rd, 22:44), Erin Sitarz (56^th, 23:08), Atianna Parks (57^th, 23:13).
 
On the men's side, the Demons finished fifth in an eight-team field but posted the third-best Southland Conference score of 105.
 
Senior Joshua Wilkins continues to be the catalyst of the Demon squad, finishing ninth overall with a time of 20:32 in the four-mile event.
 
Two more Demons placed inside the top-25, freshman Darius Groves was 19^th (21:10), and transfer Brandon Lewis-Graham (21^st, 21:12).
 
Six others for NSU contributed, including freshman Blake Cantrell (41^st, 22:35), freshman Hayden Robertson (45^th, 22:42), junior Dylan Dunford (55^th, 23:43), senior Grant Butts (58^th, 24:14), sophomore Jacob Hammons (61^st, 25:31), and freshman Denim Reeves (65^th, 26:53).
 
NSU returns to competition at the Mississippi College Choctaw Open on Oct. 14 in Clinton, MS.