Louisiana Cross Country Set to Open Season at Rice Invitational

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Cross Country will open the 2021 season on Friday when it travels to Houston, Texas to participate in the Rice Invitational.

In addition to the host, the Ragin' Cajuns will be joined by nine other competing programs.

The women's 4k race is slated for 6:15 p.m. while the men's 6k race is scheduled to begin at 6:45 p.m.

Louisiana will send 12 members of the men's team to the season-opening meet. The team will be paced by freshman Justin Unger and junior Rashid Reese who came in 48th and 49th, respectively, in the conference championships a season ago.

On the women's side, Louisiana will submit nine participants, headlined by sophomore Rosalie Michot. The Lafayette native placed 54th in the SBC Championships and earned a fourth-place finish at the ULM Warhawk Invitational in 2020.

Entering the year, the men's roster features seven returners and six newcomers from a season ago, while the women bring back eight runners and add two freshmen newcomers in Abbey Marie Ratcliff from Thibodaux and Mararia Bravo-Garcia a Seville, Spain native.

In the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches' Polls released last week, the Ragin' Cajun men were tabbed 7th while the women ranked 12th.

For the latest on Louisiana Cross Country, stay tuned to RaginCajuns.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (RaginCajunsTRK).

Rice Invitational Participants
- Houston Baptist (W)
- Houston Baptist (M)
- Lamar (M)
- Prairie View (W)
- Rice (M)
- Sam Houston (W)
- Sam Houston (M)
- St. Thomas (Tex.)
- St. Thomas (Tex.)
- Stephen F. Austin (W)
- Stephen F. Austin (M)
- Texas A&M-CC (W)
- Texas A&M-CC (M)
- Texas Southern (W)
- Texas Southern (M)
- Louisiana (W)
- Louisiana (M)
- UT-Rio Grande Valley (M)

Louisiana Cross Country Set to Open Season at Rice Invitational

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Players Mentioned

Mararia Bravo-Garcia

Rosalie Michot

Abbey Marie Ratcliff

Rashid Reese

Justin Unger

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