TicketsCINCINNATI - Aaron Bienenfeld placed fourth in his first collegiate cross country race and Hannah Markel was the top finisher for the women as the University of Cincinnati program competed in the John McNichols Invitational Saturday morning at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind. For the second meet in a row, the men placed fourth overall as a team while the women duplicated their eighth-place showing in the team standings at the same venue that will be used later this season for the 2018 NCAA Great Lakes Region Championships.
// QUICK NOTES
• Bienenfeld, who joined the program in January, raced in cross country for the first time for the Bearcats and finished fourth overall
• The men had three individuals in the Top 30 of the standings, including Ryan Guenthner, who finished 18th overall
• Markel was the top UC women's finisher as she placed 31st overall
• The women's five scoring runners finished within 31 seconds of one another
• Three women recorded collegiate personal-best times, led by Maggie Breitenstein, who improved by 31.3 seconds
// TEAM STANDINGS
The Bearcats men placed fourth overall and the women eighth in the second-annual event hosted by Indiana State. On the men's side, Purdue easily took the team title with a score of 24 points while the host Sycamores took runner-up honors with 97 points. The Top 5 was rounded out by Bowling Green (100), UC (106) and Akron (130). On the women's side, Butler was the easy winner with 33 points while the Boilermakers took second with 70 points. The remaining teams in the Top 5 included Northern Illinois (82), ISU (119) and Akron (119). The Bearcats scored 197.
// MEN'S 8,000m RACE
Bienenfeld made a strong debut on the grass for the Bearcats as he covered the 8,000m course in 25:01.2 to finish fourth overall, trailing the lead by nine seconds. The race was Bienenfeld's first for the cross country program after he joined UC in January before racing on the track both indoor and outdoor in 2018, including winning the AAC Outdoor 10,000m title. He was followed across the line by Guenthner, who earned a Top 20 showing by placing 18th overall in 25:46.7.
The five scoring positions were rounded out by Nick Grismer, who was 30th in 26:10.1; Toni Banos, who was 37th in 26:22.7; and Christian Stevens, who was 54th in 26:53.3. The Top 7 for the team also included Matt Stump (27:10.5) and Keifer Mosmeier (27:30.9), who placed 65th and 79th, respectively. Also racing for the team were Michael Vitucci (89th in 27:58.3) and Jake Barnes (118th in 29:19.5).
// WOMEN'S 5,000m RACE
Markel was the top finisher for the Bearcats as she covered the 5,000m course in 18:56.7 to place 31st overall. Three more UC runners finished in the Top 50 just behind her, including Katrina Patterson (41st in 19:06.6), Ellee Bullock (45th in 19:22.3) and Sam Mikula (50th in 19:25.4), while the team's fifth runner, Breitenstein, was 52nd (19:27.4). Madalyn O'Dea also raced for the Bearcats, placing 66th overall (20:07.3).
Breitenstein was one of three racers to post a collegiate personal best on the day as she lowered her time by a huge 31.3 seconds from her first race of the season two weeks ago at the Queen City Invitational. That improvement was just slightly ahead of O'Dea, who lowered her collegiate PR by 31.1 seconds. The third PR was recorded by Patterson, who dropped 21.1 seconds off her career best, recording a PR for the second time already in 2018.
// NEXT UP
Following a week off from competition, the Bearcats will head south to the Greater Louisville Classic that will be run Saturday, September 29, at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park. Action is scheduled to get underway 9:30 a.m.
John McNichols Invitational
LaVern Gibson Championship Course • Terre Haute, Ind.
Race #1 • Men's 8,000m Run
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. Purdue - 24
2. Indiana State - 97
3. Bowling Green - 100
4. CINCINNATI - 106
5. Akron - 130
12 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
4. Aaron Bienenfeld - 25:01.2 - PR
18. Ryan Guenthner - 25:46.7
30. Nick Grismer - 26:10.1
37. Toni Banos - 26:22.7 - PR
54. Christian Stevens - 26:53.3 - PR
65. Matt Stump - 27:10.5
79. Keifer Mosmeier - 27:30.9 - PR
89. Michael Vitucci - 27:58.3
118. Jake Barnes - 29:19.5
157 finishers
Race #2 • Women's 5,000m Race
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. Butler - 33
2. Purdue - 70
3. Northern Illinois - 82
4. Indiana State - 119
5. Akron - 119
8. CINCINNATI - 197
12 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
31. Hannah Markel - 18:56.7
41. Katrina Patterson - 19:06.6 - PR
45. Ellee Bullock - 19:22.3
50. Sam Mikula - 19:25.4
52. Maggie Breitenstein - 19:27.4 - SB
66. Madalyn O'Dea - 20:07.3 - SB
138 finishers
// QUICK NOTES
• Bienenfeld, who joined the program in January, raced in cross country for the first time for the Bearcats and finished fourth overall
• The men had three individuals in the Top 30 of the standings, including Ryan Guenthner, who finished 18th overall
• Markel was the top UC women's finisher as she placed 31st overall
• The women's five scoring runners finished within 31 seconds of one another
• Three women recorded collegiate personal-best times, led by Maggie Breitenstein, who improved by 31.3 seconds
// TEAM STANDINGS
The Bearcats men placed fourth overall and the women eighth in the second-annual event hosted by Indiana State. On the men's side, Purdue easily took the team title with a score of 24 points while the host Sycamores took runner-up honors with 97 points. The Top 5 was rounded out by Bowling Green (100), UC (106) and Akron (130). On the women's side, Butler was the easy winner with 33 points while the Boilermakers took second with 70 points. The remaining teams in the Top 5 included Northern Illinois (82), ISU (119) and Akron (119). The Bearcats scored 197.
// MEN'S 8,000m RACE
Bienenfeld made a strong debut on the grass for the Bearcats as he covered the 8,000m course in 25:01.2 to finish fourth overall, trailing the lead by nine seconds. The race was Bienenfeld's first for the cross country program after he joined UC in January before racing on the track both indoor and outdoor in 2018, including winning the AAC Outdoor 10,000m title. He was followed across the line by Guenthner, who earned a Top 20 showing by placing 18th overall in 25:46.7.
The five scoring positions were rounded out by Nick Grismer, who was 30th in 26:10.1; Toni Banos, who was 37th in 26:22.7; and Christian Stevens, who was 54th in 26:53.3. The Top 7 for the team also included Matt Stump (27:10.5) and Keifer Mosmeier (27:30.9), who placed 65th and 79th, respectively. Also racing for the team were Michael Vitucci (89th in 27:58.3) and Jake Barnes (118th in 29:19.5).
// WOMEN'S 5,000m RACE
Markel was the top finisher for the Bearcats as she covered the 5,000m course in 18:56.7 to place 31st overall. Three more UC runners finished in the Top 50 just behind her, including Katrina Patterson (41st in 19:06.6), Ellee Bullock (45th in 19:22.3) and Sam Mikula (50th in 19:25.4), while the team's fifth runner, Breitenstein, was 52nd (19:27.4). Madalyn O'Dea also raced for the Bearcats, placing 66th overall (20:07.3).
Breitenstein was one of three racers to post a collegiate personal best on the day as she lowered her time by a huge 31.3 seconds from her first race of the season two weeks ago at the Queen City Invitational. That improvement was just slightly ahead of O'Dea, who lowered her collegiate PR by 31.1 seconds. The third PR was recorded by Patterson, who dropped 21.1 seconds off her career best, recording a PR for the second time already in 2018.
// NEXT UP
Following a week off from competition, the Bearcats will head south to the Greater Louisville Classic that will be run Saturday, September 29, at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park. Action is scheduled to get underway 9:30 a.m.
John McNichols Invitational
LaVern Gibson Championship Course • Terre Haute, Ind.
Race #1 • Men's 8,000m Run
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. Purdue - 24
2. Indiana State - 97
3. Bowling Green - 100
4. CINCINNATI - 106
5. Akron - 130
12 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
4. Aaron Bienenfeld - 25:01.2 - PR
18. Ryan Guenthner - 25:46.7
30. Nick Grismer - 26:10.1
37. Toni Banos - 26:22.7 - PR
54. Christian Stevens - 26:53.3 - PR
65. Matt Stump - 27:10.5
79. Keifer Mosmeier - 27:30.9 - PR
89. Michael Vitucci - 27:58.3
118. Jake Barnes - 29:19.5
157 finishers
Race #2 • Women's 5,000m Race
Overall Team Standings (Top 5):
1. Butler - 33
2. Purdue - 70
3. Northern Illinois - 82
4. Indiana State - 119
5. Akron - 119
8. CINCINNATI - 197
12 teams scored
Overall Individual Results:
31. Hannah Markel - 18:56.7
41. Katrina Patterson - 19:06.6 - PR
45. Ellee Bullock - 19:22.3
50. Sam Mikula - 19:25.4
52. Maggie Breitenstein - 19:27.4 - SB
66. Madalyn O'Dea - 20:07.3 - SB
138 finishers