TicketsCINCINNATI - The first cross country race of the 2019 season is in the books for the University of Cincinnati with both teams finishing well at the 38th Queen City Invitational that was contested Saturday morning at the Valhalla Course in Highland Heights, Ky. The meet, hosted by Northern Kentucky, saw the UC men place second as a team while the women finished third and each placed two individuals in the Top 10 of their respective 5,000m races.
// TEAM RESULTS
Both Bearcats squads placed in the Top 3 on the day with the men placing second and the women third. In the men's competition, Dayton won the team title with 57 points while UC was the runner-up with 87 points. The rest of the Top 5 was closely bunched behind the Bearcats with Eastern Kentucky (88), Ohio (98) and Xavier (98) all within 11 points of the second position. On the women's side, Xavier took the team title with 47 points and Dayton was second with 67. The Bearcats led a close competition for third with 96 points while Ohio (98) and EKU (99) were just behind in the standings.
// RECAP • MEN
Six men lined up for the Bearcats with two finishing in the Top 10 and four in the Top 25. Ryan Guenthner led the way for UC as he finished ninth overall in 15:26.0 while freshman Tyler Wirth was just behind him in 10th place at 15:26.1. Freshman Ryan Pehlman was 19th overall in 15:40.7 while Christian Stevens was 24th in 15:48.0. The team scoring was rounded out by Keifer Mosmeier placing 41st in 16:06.3 while freshman Matt Hoak also raced, turning in a time of 16:44.4 for 68th.
// RECAP • WOMEN
Similar to the men, the UC women had a strong showing at the front of the race with three Bearcats placing in the Top 12. Newcomer Ellie Leather, a junior transfer from Fresno State, led the charge for the women as she covered the course in 18:04.7 to place fifth overall and edging senior Hannah Markel for top honors on the team as Markel was sixth in 18:05.3. The team's scoring places were filled by a pair of freshmen in Maddie Walker and Olivia Tyre with Sydney Hess taking the final scoring position. Walker ran 18:13.2 to finish 11th, missing a Top 10 medal by 0.09 seconds, while Tyre ran 18:54.1 to place 32nd. Hess finished in 19:15.3 to finish 46th.
Five other Bearcats ran as well with three newcomers in the mix. Ellee Bullock was 51st overall in 19:24.5 with freshman Katie Engle just behind her in 52nd place at 19:25.6. Two more rookies came next with Anna Evans (20:10.8) and Carmela Henning (20:16.3) placing 71st and 76th, respectively. Madalyn O'Dea also race, placing 81st overall in 20:23.3.
// DEBUTING
Overall, the Bearcats sent 16 individuals to the staring line (10 women, six men) with more than half of those individuals (nine in total) racing for the UC first time. The women had six newcomers racing in junior transfer Leather and the five freshmen of Walker, Tyre, Engle, Evans and Henning. On the men's side, all three newcomers in the race were freshmen, including Wirth, Pehlman and Hoak.
// NEXT MEET
In two weeks, the women will return to action as they are set to race September 14 at the Friendship Invitational in Cedarville, Ohio. The men will not race again until September 21 at the AAC Preview meet in Memphis, Tenn.
38th Queen City Invitational
Valhalla Course • Highland Heights, Ky.
Team Results • Men's 5,000m
1. Dayton • 57
2. CINCINNATI • 87
3. Eastern Kentucky • 88
4. Ohio • 98
5. Xavier • 98
6. Northern Kentucky • 136
7. Milwaukee • 164
8. Wright State • 167
9. Cincinnati Christian • 265
Individual Results • Men's 5,000m
9. Ryan Guenthner • 15:26.0
10. Tyler Wirth • 15:26.1
19. Ryan Pehlman • 15:40.7
24. Christian Stevens • 15:48.0
41. Keifer Mosmeier • 16:06.3
68. Matt Hoak • 16:44.4
102 runners finished
Team Results • Women's 5,000m
1. Xavier • 47
2. Dayton • 67
3. CINCINNATI • 96
4. Ohio • 98
5. Eastern Kentucky • 99
6. Wright State • 146
7. Milwaukee • 168
8. Northern Kentucky • 199
9. Cleveland State • 235
10. Cincinnati Christian • 330
Individual Results • Women's 5,000m
5. Ellie Leather • 18:04.7
6. Hannah Markel • 18:05.3
11. Maddie Walker • 18:13.2
32. Olivia Tyre • 18:54.1
46. Sydney Hess • 19:15.3
51. Ellee Bullock • 19:24.5
52. Katie Engle • 19:25.6
71. Anna Evans • 20:10.8
76. Carmela Henning • 20:16.3
81. Madalyn O'Dea • 20:23.3
116 runners finished