TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati cross country teams posted their best combined finish since 1985 at the 2021 American Athletic Conference Championships Saturday in Augusta, Kansas.
The men's team was second in the 8k race at 4 Mile Creek Resort while the women's team took third in the 6k event. Tulsa swept both team titles.
Aaron Bienenfeld and Ellie Leather were the top UC finishers as both placed third in their respective races. Both were all-conference honorees, Bienenfeld for the third time and Leather for the second.
Seven student-athletes earned All-AAC honors including Bienenfeld, Alec Sandusky, Toni Banos and Tyler Wirth on the men's side and Leather, Katrina Patterson and Maddie Walker.
"As a team, we showed up in a big way today and ran as good as we could have," Cross Country Coach Lara Rogers said. "I know Aaron and Ellie both wanted the wins, but both had big races. We saw huge improvements from many of the athletes, especially with those that finished with all-conference honors. It's been quite a year and to be able to come out and show what we've been training for makes you really proud of the team."
NOTABLE
• Best combined finish for the cross-country program since 1985 (Metro Conference – M, 2nd; W, 3rd).
• Best finish for the women's team since 1999.
• Best finish for the men's team since 2014.
• Marked the fourth time both teams have placed in the top-3 and the first since 1994.
MEN'S RACE
Bienenfeld's quest for a second-straight AAC title came up just short as he was third with a time of 23:37.00. He finished behind Tulsa's Patrick Dever who won the race in 23:28.82 and Scott Beattie (23:34.75) who was the AAC runner up for the third-straight year. Bienenfeld was among the lead three for much of the race but fell back in the closing kilometer.
Sandusky, a transfer from Northern Kentucky, was fifth in 24:05.40, earning his second career all-conference honor. He placed fourth for NKU at the 2018 Horizon League meet, earning all-league awards.
Banos, who was 22nd last year, earned his first All-AAC honor with a 13th place tally in 24:56.20. Wirth followed up on his 2019 AAC Freshman of the Year honor by earning All-AAC accolades for the first time with a 25:01.80 clocking in 15th place.
WOMEN'S RACE
On the women's side, Leather came home third in 21:06.20, a year after finishing 11th at the league championship. Leather ran in the main pack for most of the race but started to fall back with a mile to go but was still able to secure the third podium spot. She earned all-conference honors for the second time, only the ninth woman in UC history to achieve multiple all-conference accolades.
Patterson (22:00.00) and Walker (22:03.09) also earned All-AAC honors. Patterson finished 44th in 2019 while Walker did not finish the championship race last year.
Carmela Henning ran 22:15.30 in only her second-ever cross-country race at UC and first in over a year.
2021 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE XC CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021 • 4 Mile Creek Resort • Augusta, Kansas
MEN'S 8K RACE
1. Tulsa - 20
2. Cincinnati - 54
3. Temple - 93
4. Wichita State - 112
5. Memphis - 131
6. ECU - 146
7. Houston - 202
8. USF - 227
UC FINISHERS
3. Aaron Bienenfeld - 23:37.00
5. Alec Sandusky - 24:05.40
13. Toni Banos - 24:56.20
15. Tyler Wirth - 25:01.80
19. Jonathan Harley - 25:06.70
25. Julius Hild - 25:17.50
30. Ryan Guenthner - 25:31.60
33. Nick Dehaven - 25:40.80
41. Matt Stump - 26:03.80
WOMEN'S 6K RACE
1. Tulsa - 40
2. Wichita State - 61
3. Cincinnati - 70
4. Temple - 104
5. UCF - 113
6. ECU - 153
7. SMU - 164
8. Houston - 220
9. Memphis - 263
10. USF - 273
UC FINISHERS
3. Ellie Leather - 21:06.20
12. Katrina Patterson - 22:00.00
15. Maddie Walker - 22:03.09
18. Carmela Henning - 22:15.30
23. Lauren Kemper - 22:24.80
28. Jodie Pierce - 22:35.90
36. Maggie Breitenstein - 22:46.80
46. Leah Maschino - 23:05.10
47. Olivia Tyre - 23:05.60
• Runners in bold earned All-AAC honors.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up to the minute updates, follow UC Track & Field/Cross Country (@GoBearcatsTFXC) on Twitter, Facebook (GoBearcatsTFXC) and Instagram (GoBearcatsTFXC) and join in the conversation by using the hashtag #Bearcats.
The men's team was second in the 8k race at 4 Mile Creek Resort while the women's team took third in the 6k event. Tulsa swept both team titles.
Aaron Bienenfeld and Ellie Leather were the top UC finishers as both placed third in their respective races. Both were all-conference honorees, Bienenfeld for the third time and Leather for the second.
Seven student-athletes earned All-AAC honors including Bienenfeld, Alec Sandusky, Toni Banos and Tyler Wirth on the men's side and Leather, Katrina Patterson and Maddie Walker.
"As a team, we showed up in a big way today and ran as good as we could have," Cross Country Coach Lara Rogers said. "I know Aaron and Ellie both wanted the wins, but both had big races. We saw huge improvements from many of the athletes, especially with those that finished with all-conference honors. It's been quite a year and to be able to come out and show what we've been training for makes you really proud of the team."
NOTABLE
• Best combined finish for the cross-country program since 1985 (Metro Conference – M, 2nd; W, 3rd).
• Best finish for the women's team since 1999.
• Best finish for the men's team since 2014.
• Marked the fourth time both teams have placed in the top-3 and the first since 1994.
MEN'S RACE
Bienenfeld's quest for a second-straight AAC title came up just short as he was third with a time of 23:37.00. He finished behind Tulsa's Patrick Dever who won the race in 23:28.82 and Scott Beattie (23:34.75) who was the AAC runner up for the third-straight year. Bienenfeld was among the lead three for much of the race but fell back in the closing kilometer.
Sandusky, a transfer from Northern Kentucky, was fifth in 24:05.40, earning his second career all-conference honor. He placed fourth for NKU at the 2018 Horizon League meet, earning all-league awards.
Banos, who was 22nd last year, earned his first All-AAC honor with a 13th place tally in 24:56.20. Wirth followed up on his 2019 AAC Freshman of the Year honor by earning All-AAC accolades for the first time with a 25:01.80 clocking in 15th place.
WOMEN'S RACE
On the women's side, Leather came home third in 21:06.20, a year after finishing 11th at the league championship. Leather ran in the main pack for most of the race but started to fall back with a mile to go but was still able to secure the third podium spot. She earned all-conference honors for the second time, only the ninth woman in UC history to achieve multiple all-conference accolades.
Patterson (22:00.00) and Walker (22:03.09) also earned All-AAC honors. Patterson finished 44th in 2019 while Walker did not finish the championship race last year.
Carmela Henning ran 22:15.30 in only her second-ever cross-country race at UC and first in over a year.
2021 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE XC CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021 • 4 Mile Creek Resort • Augusta, Kansas
MEN'S 8K RACE
1. Tulsa - 20
2. Cincinnati - 54
3. Temple - 93
4. Wichita State - 112
5. Memphis - 131
6. ECU - 146
7. Houston - 202
8. USF - 227
UC FINISHERS
3. Aaron Bienenfeld - 23:37.00
5. Alec Sandusky - 24:05.40
13. Toni Banos - 24:56.20
15. Tyler Wirth - 25:01.80
19. Jonathan Harley - 25:06.70
25. Julius Hild - 25:17.50
30. Ryan Guenthner - 25:31.60
33. Nick Dehaven - 25:40.80
41. Matt Stump - 26:03.80
WOMEN'S 6K RACE
1. Tulsa - 40
2. Wichita State - 61
3. Cincinnati - 70
4. Temple - 104
5. UCF - 113
6. ECU - 153
7. SMU - 164
8. Houston - 220
9. Memphis - 263
10. USF - 273
UC FINISHERS
3. Ellie Leather - 21:06.20
12. Katrina Patterson - 22:00.00
15. Maddie Walker - 22:03.09
18. Carmela Henning - 22:15.30
23. Lauren Kemper - 22:24.80
28. Jodie Pierce - 22:35.90
36. Maggie Breitenstein - 22:46.80
46. Leah Maschino - 23:05.10
47. Olivia Tyre - 23:05.60
• Runners in bold earned All-AAC honors.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up to the minute updates, follow UC Track & Field/Cross Country (@GoBearcatsTFXC) on Twitter, Facebook (GoBearcatsTFXC) and Instagram (GoBearcatsTFXC) and join in the conversation by using the hashtag #Bearcats.