MEMPHIS, Tenn. (9/4/2011) — The Arkansas State women's cross country team finished tied for second and the Red Wolves men placed eighth at the Brooks Memphis Twilight Classic Saturday night in the 2011 cross country season opener.

Three ASU women's runners finished among the top 11 out of 206 runners in the field, helping the Red Wolves score 79 points on the night, tied with UALR and behind only Ole Miss, which won the 25-team event with 43 points. 

Arkansas State's men finished with 255 points on the night to place eighth among 22 teams while Western Kentucky won the team competition with 47 points.

"I was very pleased with the performances this early in the season,” said ASU head coach Jim Patchell. “We're ahead of where we were at this time last year. Our women tied UALR and beat WKU and that's very promising."

Junior Samantha Salinas led the ASU women with a ninth-place finish, clocking in at 18:38.04 and just ahead of freshman Rexi Parcells, who finished 10^th at 18:39.56.  Senior Chelsea Weaver ran an 18:45.72 to finish 11^th.

Junior David Mills paced the Red Wolves men with a 21^st-place finish, running the course in 20:56.90 while senior James Ngwiri ran a 21:06.64 to place 25^th out of 200 runners.

The A-State cross country teams will return to action Sept. 23 at the UALR Invitational.