THIBODAUX -- Xavier Wilson and Ava-Grace Herbert led Northwestern State in the Southland Conference Cross Country Championship hosted by Nicholls State University. 

Xavier Wilson, a junior from Bossier City, Louisiana, paced the Demons across the finish line in the 8-kilometer championship race. 

Wilson placed 52nd in the 82-runner field.

He ran a new personal best of 26:49.0, cutting a minute off his last 8k at the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville. 

Four Demons set new personal best times to place 9th in the 10-team competition with 274 points, trailing Nicholls (220). 

Sophomore Korbin Shumate crossed this finish line seconds after Wilson, placing 53rd. 

Shumate ran a new personal best of 26:52.57, a minute and 50 seconds faster than his last 8k at the Chile Pepper Festival. 

Junior John Klien followed Korbin closely, placing 55th with a personal best time of 26:59.36. 

Payten Vidourek, a junior, placed 70th with a time of 27:57.71, and freshman Stefan Klefasz came in 71st with a personal best of 28:19.15.

Freshman Waylon Wright placed 81st with a time of 39:56.36.

Incarnate Word took the men's championship title with a score of 62, Lamar followed in second with 72, and New Orleans came in third with 82. 

Junior Dennis Kipngeno from Texas A&M-CC, placed first overall with a time of 23:49.15, to take home the individual men's crown. 

Ava-Gace Herbert led the Lady Demons across the finish line in the 6-kilometer race. The freshman from Broussard, Louisiana placed 56th in the 71-runner field with a time of 25:36.12.

The women placed last in the 10-team competition finishing with a score of 304, behind Southeastern (236). 

Leah Thompson, a sophomore, came in second for the Lady Demons, closely trailing Herbert. Placing 61st, Thompson ran a PR in the 6k, shaving 3 minutes off her last year's championship race. 

Senior Olivia Sipes placed 66th, clocking a time of 27:01.44. 
Abria Paul (20:12.35) and Carolin Bielert (24:37.59) closely followed Sipes, placing 69th and 71st, respectively. 

New Orleans took the women's conference title with a score of 32, following in second was Lamar with 87, and Incarnate Word in third with 91.

Joy Gill, a freshman racing for Incarnate Word took the individual title in a time of 20:24.59.