FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Jax State hits the road to participate in the Chile Pepper Festival hosted by the University of Arkansas on Saturday, Sept. 28. The Gamecocks are coming off of a team win in the UNA Invitational in the last full squad race. 
 
Meet Details
Chile Pepper Festival
Saturday, September 28
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Results
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Chile Pepper Festival
The Chile Pepper Festival consists of 12 races across a two-day period, with Jax State competing in the collegiate division hosted by the University of Arkansas. The men will race in an 8K while the women will partake in a 5K race, both at Agri Park in Fayetteville, Ark. The host Arkansas Razorbacks are the reigning SEC men's cross country champions while the women finished second in last year's SEC championship. 
 
Firehawk Invitational 
Jax State sent seven individuals as a part of a partial squad to Oakville, Ala. to compete in the Firehawk Invitational last weekend. The five men helped the team place seventh, led by Blake Graham who turned in a 21st place finish. Freshman Rania Gabriela Yousef Moreno led Jax State on the women's side, placing 19th. 
 
Bringing Home the Hardware
Jax State rounded up all four CUSA weekly awards after a stellar performance at the UNA Invitational on Sept. 7. Meshack Kosgei (2nd) and Emily Coddington (2nd) boasted the titles of CUSA Athletes of the Week while Mark Roper (4th) and Linda Grundmann (1st) earned the right to be called the Conference USA Freshmen of the Week. 
 
Out of State
The Chile Pepper Festival is the first out of state competition of the season for Jax State. Each of the first three meets of the season took place in the Yellowhammer State while each of the next three meets require out of state travel. The Gamecocks will travel to Tallahassee, Fla. before wrapping up regular season play in Spartanburg, S.C. Jax State returns home to host the CUSA Championships in Oxford, Ala. 
 
Home Sweet Home
The Chile Pepper Festival is set to take place in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the home state of Jax State head cross country coach Jeremy Provence. Provence is originally from Winfrey Valley, Ark. and even spent time as the head coach of the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Ark. prior to becoming the head coach at Jacksonville State. From 2008-2011, Provence was a collegiate runner at the University of the Ozarks. This is Jax State's first trip to Arkansas as a cross country program under Provence. 
 
Up Next
Following the Chile Pepper Festival, Jax State gears up for the FSU Invitational hosted by Florida State University. The FSU Invitational is set to take place on the morning of Oct. 11 in Tallahassee, Fla. 
 
To keep up with Jax State Cross Country, follow @JaxStateXCTF on X, Instagram and Facebook.