CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati cross country team opened its 2018 season at the 37th running of the Queen City Invitational Saturday morning with newcomer Andrew Schille leading the way as he won the men's individual title to pace the Bearcats in the meet held at the Valhalla Cross Country Course in Highland Heights, Ky. The meet was not only the first of the year for all the collegiate teams competing, but also was the first meet held at Valhalla since 1979.
// QUICK NOTES
• The UC men placed fourth overall and the women finished eighth on the day
• Schille, a three-year standout at NKU before enrolling at graduate school at UC, won the men's race for the third time in his career
• Schille is now just the second man to win the QCI three times in a career, joining former UC All-American Eric Finan in that distinction
• The win was the 19th for a Bearcats man in 37 years and 29th individual crown a UC runner (men and women) have won
• Including Schille, three men made their UC debuts with Christian Stevens and Toni Banos also racing for the first time
• The women also had three runners debut, including Ellee Bullock, a former member of the UC tennis team, along with freshmen Maggie Breitenstein and Madalyn O'Dea
// TEAM STANDINGS
The Dayton men and Ohio State women captured the team titles on the day with the Bearcats placing fourth and eighth, respectively. In the men's standings, the Flyers repeated as champions, winning the title with 41 points to easily defend their title as Kentucky was second with 86 points. The Top 5 in the men's standings was rounded out by Xavier (104) in third, the Bearcats in fourth (125) and Cedarville (138) in fifth. On the women's side, the Buckeyes won with 68 points to edge past Eastern Kentucky, who was the runner-up with 76 points. The Top 5 all scored fewer than 100 points as Xavier was third (89), Dayton fourth (90) and Kentucky fifth (95). The Bearcats scored 193 points on the day.
// MEN'S 5,000m RACE
On the highly technical, hilly and wooded course, Schille found himself at or near the front of the pack much of the day before turning for home in second behind Collin Cotton, an unattached runner who formerly ran for UC and held times on the program's all-time Top 10 in long distance races. With 200 yards remaining and Cotton in the lead, Schille surged and caught Cotton at the line, out-leaning the former Bearcats runner to post identical times of 15:21.9 and win by a photo finish. Schille was followed across the line by two Bearcats who placed in the Top 25, including Nick Grismer (15:48.9) and Ryan Guenthner (15:49.8), who placed 20th and 21st, respectively.
Matt Stump (16:17.3) and Steven Zombory (16:23.4) placed 41st and 46th, respectively, to round out the five scoring positions for the Bearcats. Also racing on the day for UC were Stevens, who was 48th in 16:24.2; Banos, who was 62nd in 16:28.6; and Jake Barnes, who finished 85th in 16:42.4.
// MORE ON SCHILLE'S WIN
Entering the race, Schille already held a part of QCI history as he was one of six men to have won the meet twice in a career while also being the lone individual to do so not representing UC. After graduating from NKU last year and enrolling in graduate school at UC, Schille opened his final year of cross country eligibility by adding his third QCI title. He now joins Eric Finan as the only other three-time champion with Finan, an All-American for UC, winning his titles in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Finan's final title also was the last crown for a Bearcats man until Schille won today to also become the only runner, male or female, to win the QCI title for two different schools.
// WOMEN'S 5,000m RACE
Sam Mikula led the charge for the women as she placed 19th overall in 18:38.2. Mikula was followed across the line by Hannah Markel, who was 26th in 18:47.3. From there, the final four Bearcats were newcomers or relative newcomers, led by Bullock, the former tennis player for UC (2017-18) and Utah State (2016-17), who placed 42nd (19:16.1) in her first collegiate race. Katrina Patterson, who raced only once last year before an injury sidelined her, placed 52nd overall in 19:27.5. True freshmen Breitenstein (19:58.7) and O'Dea (20:38.4) rounded out the finishers in 71st and 93rd, respectively.
// HISTORICAL DATA
• Schille's win is the 19th for the men and the 29th overall for the Bearcats as the women have won 10 in their history. The next closest school to that total is Eastern Kentucky, who won their sixth title today in the women's race, giving them six total.
• With Gladys Cheruiyot winning the women's race for EKU, she continued a streak of 10 years in a row that a different school from the previous year has won the title. The last time the same school won the women's individual title in back-to-back years came in 2008-11 with UC winning three by three different runners (Lilian Jelimo, Jocelyn McCauley and Michelle McKenney
• While Schille has won three in a row on the men's side, the last time the women had a repeat champion came in 2004 when UC's Ruth Limo won her second crown after taking gold in 2002.
// FACES IN THE CROWD
With the meet being the lone chance for the Bearcats to race locally this year, many current track & field student-athletes and former members of the program were on hand, including five former men's runners, who entered as the team Queen City Rangers. Seamus Collins, Dan Huben and Frank Pierce all finished the race.
// NEXT UP
The regional competition marked the end of the 2017 cross country season for the Bearcats. The runners will now turn their attention toward gearing up for the 2018 indoor track and field season that will get underway December 8 in Bloomington, Ind., at the Hoosier Open.
37th QUEEN CITY INVITATIONAL
Valhalla Cross Country Course • Highland Heights, Ky.
Race #1 • Men's 5,000m Run
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. Dayton - 41
2. Kentucky - 86
3. Xavier - 104
4. CINCINNATI - 125
5. Cedarville - 138
15 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
1. Andrew Schille - 15:21.9 - Three-time QCI Champion
20. Nick Grismer - 15:48.9
21. Ryan Guenthner - 15:49.8 - PR
41. Matt Stump - 16:17.3 - PR
46. Steven Zombory - 16:23.4 - PR
48. Christian Stevens - 16:24.2
62. Toni Banos - 16:28.6 - PR
85. Jake Barnes - 16:42.4 - PR
178 finishers
Race #2 • Women's 5,000m Race
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. Ohio State - 68
2. Eastern Kentucky - 76
3. Xavier - 89
4. Dayton - 90
5. Kentucky - 95
8. CINCINNATI - 193
13 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
19. Sam Mikula - 18:38.2
26. Hannah Markel - 18:47.3
42. Ellee Bullock - 19:16.1 - PR
52. Katrina Patterson - 19:27.5 - PR
71. Maggie Breitenstein - 19:58.7
93. Madalyn O'Dea - 20:38.4
149 finishers
// QUICK NOTES
• The UC men placed fourth overall and the women finished eighth on the day
• Schille, a three-year standout at NKU before enrolling at graduate school at UC, won the men's race for the third time in his career
• Schille is now just the second man to win the QCI three times in a career, joining former UC All-American Eric Finan in that distinction
• The win was the 19th for a Bearcats man in 37 years and 29th individual crown a UC runner (men and women) have won
• Including Schille, three men made their UC debuts with Christian Stevens and Toni Banos also racing for the first time
• The women also had three runners debut, including Ellee Bullock, a former member of the UC tennis team, along with freshmen Maggie Breitenstein and Madalyn O'Dea
// TEAM STANDINGS
The Dayton men and Ohio State women captured the team titles on the day with the Bearcats placing fourth and eighth, respectively. In the men's standings, the Flyers repeated as champions, winning the title with 41 points to easily defend their title as Kentucky was second with 86 points. The Top 5 in the men's standings was rounded out by Xavier (104) in third, the Bearcats in fourth (125) and Cedarville (138) in fifth. On the women's side, the Buckeyes won with 68 points to edge past Eastern Kentucky, who was the runner-up with 76 points. The Top 5 all scored fewer than 100 points as Xavier was third (89), Dayton fourth (90) and Kentucky fifth (95). The Bearcats scored 193 points on the day.
// MEN'S 5,000m RACE
On the highly technical, hilly and wooded course, Schille found himself at or near the front of the pack much of the day before turning for home in second behind Collin Cotton, an unattached runner who formerly ran for UC and held times on the program's all-time Top 10 in long distance races. With 200 yards remaining and Cotton in the lead, Schille surged and caught Cotton at the line, out-leaning the former Bearcats runner to post identical times of 15:21.9 and win by a photo finish. Schille was followed across the line by two Bearcats who placed in the Top 25, including Nick Grismer (15:48.9) and Ryan Guenthner (15:49.8), who placed 20th and 21st, respectively.
Matt Stump (16:17.3) and Steven Zombory (16:23.4) placed 41st and 46th, respectively, to round out the five scoring positions for the Bearcats. Also racing on the day for UC were Stevens, who was 48th in 16:24.2; Banos, who was 62nd in 16:28.6; and Jake Barnes, who finished 85th in 16:42.4.
// MORE ON SCHILLE'S WIN
Entering the race, Schille already held a part of QCI history as he was one of six men to have won the meet twice in a career while also being the lone individual to do so not representing UC. After graduating from NKU last year and enrolling in graduate school at UC, Schille opened his final year of cross country eligibility by adding his third QCI title. He now joins Eric Finan as the only other three-time champion with Finan, an All-American for UC, winning his titles in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Finan's final title also was the last crown for a Bearcats man until Schille won today to also become the only runner, male or female, to win the QCI title for two different schools.
// WOMEN'S 5,000m RACE
Sam Mikula led the charge for the women as she placed 19th overall in 18:38.2. Mikula was followed across the line by Hannah Markel, who was 26th in 18:47.3. From there, the final four Bearcats were newcomers or relative newcomers, led by Bullock, the former tennis player for UC (2017-18) and Utah State (2016-17), who placed 42nd (19:16.1) in her first collegiate race. Katrina Patterson, who raced only once last year before an injury sidelined her, placed 52nd overall in 19:27.5. True freshmen Breitenstein (19:58.7) and O'Dea (20:38.4) rounded out the finishers in 71st and 93rd, respectively.
// HISTORICAL DATA
• Schille's win is the 19th for the men and the 29th overall for the Bearcats as the women have won 10 in their history. The next closest school to that total is Eastern Kentucky, who won their sixth title today in the women's race, giving them six total.
• With Gladys Cheruiyot winning the women's race for EKU, she continued a streak of 10 years in a row that a different school from the previous year has won the title. The last time the same school won the women's individual title in back-to-back years came in 2008-11 with UC winning three by three different runners (Lilian Jelimo, Jocelyn McCauley and Michelle McKenney
• While Schille has won three in a row on the men's side, the last time the women had a repeat champion came in 2004 when UC's Ruth Limo won her second crown after taking gold in 2002.
// FACES IN THE CROWD
With the meet being the lone chance for the Bearcats to race locally this year, many current track & field student-athletes and former members of the program were on hand, including five former men's runners, who entered as the team Queen City Rangers. Seamus Collins, Dan Huben and Frank Pierce all finished the race.
// NEXT UP
The regional competition marked the end of the 2017 cross country season for the Bearcats. The runners will now turn their attention toward gearing up for the 2018 indoor track and field season that will get underway December 8 in Bloomington, Ind., at the Hoosier Open.
37th QUEEN CITY INVITATIONAL
Valhalla Cross Country Course • Highland Heights, Ky.
Race #1 • Men's 5,000m Run
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. Dayton - 41
2. Kentucky - 86
3. Xavier - 104
4. CINCINNATI - 125
5. Cedarville - 138
15 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
1. Andrew Schille - 15:21.9 - Three-time QCI Champion
20. Nick Grismer - 15:48.9
21. Ryan Guenthner - 15:49.8 - PR
41. Matt Stump - 16:17.3 - PR
46. Steven Zombory - 16:23.4 - PR
48. Christian Stevens - 16:24.2
62. Toni Banos - 16:28.6 - PR
85. Jake Barnes - 16:42.4 - PR
178 finishers
Race #2 • Women's 5,000m Race
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. Ohio State - 68
2. Eastern Kentucky - 76
3. Xavier - 89
4. Dayton - 90
5. Kentucky - 95
8. CINCINNATI - 193
13 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
19. Sam Mikula - 18:38.2
26. Hannah Markel - 18:47.3
42. Ellee Bullock - 19:16.1 - PR
52. Katrina Patterson - 19:27.5 - PR
71. Maggie Breitenstein - 19:58.7
93. Madalyn O'Dea - 20:38.4
149 finishers