LSU Cross Country Teams Compete at Arturo Barrios
The women's squad finished eighth in College Station while the men placed 35th in their invitational.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Track & Field
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The LSU men's and women's cross country teams participated in the Arturo Barrios Invitational in College Station. The women's team finished in eighth place, while the men's team placed 35th out of 38 competing teams in their respective 8-kilometer race.
Why it matters
The women's team performance in the 6-kilometer race coincided with them dropping out of the national top-16 Division I rankings. Both teams are now shifting their focus toward the upcoming SEC Championship tournament in Columbia.
The men's team completed the 8-kilometer course, while the women's team competed in a 6-kilometer race that saw multiple runners set personal best times. The LSU women's squad faces six top-32 programs at the SEC Championship.
The players
LSU Cross Country
This is the collegiate distance running program representing Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
Hugh Carlson
He is a distance runner for the LSU men's cross country team who finished 150th at the invitational.
Edna Chepkemoi
She is a member of the LSU women's cross country team who finished ninth overall in the 6-kilometer race.
Abigael Chemnagei
She is a runner for the LSU women's team who placed 10th at the Arturo Barrios Invitational.
The details
In the men's 8-kilometer race, Hugh Carlson led the team in 150th place with a time of 24:50.8, followed by Jayden Williams, Findlay Belk, Gabriel Tubbs, and Jackson Burney. The women's squad saw Edna Chepkemoi finish ninth and Abigael Chemnagei finish 10th to secure their eighth-place team result.
Timeline
October 16, 2026: The Arturo Barrios Invitational took place in College Station.
October 14, 2026: The women's team fell out of the national Flotrack rankings.
October 30, 2026: Both teams will compete at the SEC Championship tournament.
Season Trajectory
The Arturo Barrios Invitational serves as the final tune-up for both LSU programs before the intensity of the postseason increases. Both teams must now prepare to face elite competition at the upcoming SEC Championship to alter their current trajectory.
The women's team must now contend with a lower national profile after exiting the top-16 rankings following this meet. Both rosters face a significant test in Columbia, where the men will square off against four top-32 programs and the women will face six.
The takeaway
The LSU programs are currently in a rebuilding phase as they prepare for the high-level competition of the SEC circuit. Runners looking to improve their individual times will need to build on the personal bests set during the 6-kilometer event in College Station.
What happens next
Both the LSU men's and women's teams are scheduled to compete at the SEC Championship tournament on October 30, 2026.
Further reading
For more updates on local athletes, visit Baton Rouge Track & Field.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Reveille.
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