AMES, Iowa — A fall midway through the race was costly for LSU’s Likhaya Dayile Monday afternoon, as he fell from the lead pack to 115th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Ames, Iowa.
On a cold day with wind chills bringing the temperature to minus-15 degrees, Dayile got off to a solid start and was among the leaders before reaching an unclear portion of the course. The course was not roped off at a critical turn and several runners went off the path and collided when they were guided back in the proper direction.
As a result, Dayile finished 115th in his first NCAA meet, completing the men’s 10-kilometer course in 31 minutes 52.6 seconds.
“Likhaya?s time based on what happened and the conditions is not bad,” said LSU coach Mark Elliott. “That’s part of the sport of cross country, it happens, it’s an unfortunate turn for Likhaya because he?s had such a good year, but it happens.”
Keith Kelly of Providence won the individual title in 30:14.5. Arkansas won a very close team competition, edging Colorado 83-94, preventing a Buffalo sweep, as Colorado took the women’s title, led by NCAA individual champion Kara Gras-Wheeler.