Monday, December 19, 2011

XU's Jacksons, Moses receive All-Louisiana recognition

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana siblings Kwame and Zahri Jackson both received Freshman of the Year honors on the 2011 All-Louisiana collegiate cross country teams announced late Friday, and XU's Joseph Moses was chosen Coach of the Year on the women's team for the fourth time.

The Jacksons, from Kingwood, Texas, and graduates of Kingwood Park High School, also were chosen All-Louisiana.

Kwame Jackson was the first freshman in at least 13 years to win the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's individual championship. He posted five top-10 finishes in eight races, including three in the top five, and recorded the No. 2 four-mile time in XU history, 21 minutes, 46.1 seconds, at the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational in September.

Zahri Jackson became the first XU female freshman to win a GCAC individual championship, and her 5,000-meter time of 19:20.40 was second fastest in 11 years by a female at GCAC meet. She recorded the three fastest 5Ks in XU history and set XU records of 16:27.58 for 4K and 19:15.18 for 5K in her first two meets.

From left: Xavier's Joseph Moses is Coach of the Year on the 2011 All-Louisiana
women's cross country team. Kwame Jackson was chosen to the seven-member All-Louisiana men's team and Freshman of the Year. Kwame's sister Zahri earned the
 same honors on the women's team.
(Click photo to enlarge)
Both the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets won GCAC team championships for a sixth consecutive year and qualified for the NAIA National Championships for the third time in four seasons.

Moses guided XU's women to a 13-6-1 record against NCAA Division I opponents and a school-record 41 victories. Three of his freshmen — Zahri Jackson, Catherine Fakler and Hali Yarmush — combined for eight of the 12 fastest 5K times in Xavier history, including the three fastest. The top two 6K times were run this year.

Moses also won the state coaching award on the women's team in 2006, 2008 and 2009 and on the men's team in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He is the only Louisiana coach to win the women's award more than twice.

Zahri Jackson is the second XU female to be Louisiana Freshman of the Year. Anna D'Souza shared the award in 2008. Kwame Jackson is the fourth Gold Rush runner in 10 years to be the men's Freshman of the Year, joining Prince Mumba (2002), David Salmon (2007) and Mark Dotson (2009).

A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel selected the teams.

2011 All-Louisiana Women's Cross Country Team
Paige Callahan, freshman, Tulane
Katherine Crabtree, junior, Tulane
Zahri Jackson, freshman, Xavier
Monica Jepkemboi, junior, SUNO
Leigh-Ann Naccari, junior, LSU
Fionnuala Ross, junior, McNeese State
Amy Talbot, sophomore, McNeese State

Runner of the Year: Paige Callahan, Tulane
Newcomer of the Year: Amy Talbot, McNeese State
Freshman of the Year: Zahri Jackson, Xavier
Coach of the Year: Joseph Moses, Xavier

2011 All-Louisiana Men's Cross Country Team
Alex Bruce-Littlewood, graduate, McNeese State
Silah Chumba, junior, Louisiana-Monroe
Cullen Doody, senior, LSU
Kwame Jackson, freshman, Xavier
Joseph LeGrange, sophomore, Southeastern Louisiana
Mark Manion, freshman, Tulane
Daniel Mutai, junior, Louisiana-Monroe

Runner of the Year: Daniel Mutai, Louisiana-Monroe
Newcomer of the Year: Alex Bruce-Littlewood, McNeese State
Freshman of the Year: Kwame Jackson, Xavier
Coach of the Year: James Malone, Louisiana-Monroe

By Ed Cassiere, SID

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