LAKE CHARLES—Following a pair of meets to begin the month of September, the Northwestern State cross country teams had a week off from competition before coming back to compete in the Cowboy Stampede on Saturday at the Enos Derbonne Sports Complex.

The women compete at 8:30 a.m. in the 5K, while the men run in the 9 a.m. in the 4-mile.

It is the third of four pre-season meets for NSU.

The teams took a week off from outside competition after running in their home meet, the NSU Demon Invitational.

"We're really excited," head coach Alex Wills said. "We had a good week of training last week and were really able to focus on getting healthy and getting in better shape. We had some kids earning lifetime PRs in the middle of a workout, so I am really excited to take what we're building on and show everybody what they're capable of."

In addition to NSU and home school McNeese, other schools participating are UIW, UL Lafayette and Southern for both men's and women's, while Community Christian College and Lyon are only sending their men's team.

It is the second time the teams are heading to McNeese this cross country season after doing so at the McNeese Season Opener. The teams also make a return visit to Lake Charles for the Southland Conference Championships on Oct. 30.

Andrew Kent is coming off his first ever collegiate victory, winning in the 6K at his home meet, the NSU Demon Invitational, running a 20:57.3, as the sophomore won the race by 22 seconds over Louisiana Tech's Joshua Dalton.

Kaden Elliott had a strong showing to finish second among the Demons, running a 21:46.1 at the home meet, placing seventh at the NSU Demon Invitational.

Every meet, Wills has a king or queen of the meet, and Elliott was that person at the home meet after his strong showing.

"Kaden was the big winner at the home meet," Wills said. "Even with the heat, he ran a PR, so we are really happy with him. Abby (Poche) coming in second overall was the winner on the women's side, but all of those girls have never run that distance before so everybody kind of wins."

Freshman Jack Pattillo clocked a 5:54.9 to finish ninth at the home meet, as the team ran a 6K after running a 5K at McNeese in the first meet.

The meets keep being a longer distance, which leads up to both the final pre-conference meet and the conference championships, which are both 8K races.

On the women's side, Abby Poche continued a strong start to her collegiate career, placing second at the home meet in the 4K. The freshman clocked a 16:20.8, as she led the Lady Demons for a second consecutive meet.

After finishing sixth among the Lady Demons in the first meet, Peyton Pirie placed second among the NSU women at the home meet, running a 7:17.4.

Following the meet, NSU is off for the next two weeks in terms of outside competition before returning for their final pre-conference meet—the Watson Cross Country Classic on Oct. 16.