LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State Cross Country Aggies ran on campus Saturday in hosting the 2015 Kachina Open at the NM State Track and Intramural Fields.
 
The Aggies placed second in both the men's and women's races that featured NM State, UTEP and El Paso Community College with some unattached runners.
 
"We got to have the meet on campus and had a great turnout," said NM State Head Coach Orin Richburg. "This is the first time we've had this on campus since I've been here. I'm pleased with the meet and our effort today."
 
The Aggie men placed behind UTEP, but broke up the Miners pack. UTEP scored 16 points, while NM State scored 46 and EPCC 60.
 
NM State got a great performance from sophomore Jereme Santistevan of Pojoaque, N.M./Pojoaque Valley who placed sixth and scored fifth in the 7k men's race with a time of 21:42.11.
 
"Jereme did a great job in stay up in the pack and beating some guys he hadn't in the last two weeks," said NM State Cross Country Assistant Joe Rath. "Everyone ran well."
 
Aggie junior Ricardo De Santiago from El Paso placed eighth overall in 22:06.43, while junior Marco Perez of El Paso was 11th in 22:30.21. Junior Marchez Coriz placed 13th in 22:44.69, with sophomore Brett Fenton of Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva 16th in 23:11.93 to round out the scoring.
 
The Aggie women made it close down the stretch, before UTEP pulled it out 41 to 47. EPCC was third with 84 points.
 
NM State was paced by freshman Nichole Gomez of Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola who placed fifth, just ahead of sophomore teammate Crissy Amberg of Albuquerque, N.M./El Dorado in sixth. Gomez was clocked on the 5k women's course at 19:13.72, with Amberg on her heels at 19:17.73.
 
"Nichole and Crissy ran well and got by UTEP's number four runner and did a lot of good things on the front side of the course," said Rath.
 
The Aggies then finished their scoring by placing eight, nine and 11, with sophomore Sydney Salas of Las Cruces, N.M./High in at 19:28.20, sophomore Mikayla Pulliam of Los Alamos, N.M. at 19:46.70 and freshman Regina Marquez of Anthony, N.M./Santa Teresa at 19:58.23.
 
The Aggies had a chance to run everyone in this meet and won't run again until Oct. 3 when they visit Rim Rock Farms in Lawrence, Kan., for Rim Rock Classic.