TicketsTERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The University of Cincinnati men's and women's cross-country teams both placed inside the top 12 as the Bearcats wrapped up their seasons at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course on Friday.
Cincinnati placed 10th overall as a team with 328 points in the men's 10K, while the women placed 12th as a team with 352 points in the 6K.
The NCAA Great Lakes Regional kicked off with the women's 6K, as AAC Championships runner-up, redshirt senior Rylee Penn, ended her Cincinnati cross country career on a high note. She led the women's team with a 30th overall finish, with a time of 20:52.1.
"Heck of a season for the lady Bearcats," women's coach Sarah Anderson said." Finishing 12th in this region is a solid performance. My upperclassmen made big huge strides this season; Rylee was 153th at Regionals last time she raced, today she was 30th. Maddie was 57th last year, today 30th. Maggie improved her regional spot by 30 places this year). They trusted the process and trusted each other. Five of my top Seven return, so this race definitely makes me excited to continue pouring into this team"
Senior Maddie Walker closed out her season as the second Bearcat to cross the finish line. She placed 34th overall after climbing three spots in the last 2K. Walker completed the course in 20:57.8.
Following Walker was freshman standouts Sarah Madix and Gwen Stare. Madix finished with a time of 22:05.4, placing 88th overall, while Stare was .02 second behind Madix with a time of 22:05.6, earning 89th.
Rounding out the women's scores was senior Carmela Henning, as she ran the course in 22:24.6 and placed 114th.
In the men's 10K, Tyler Wirth closed out his season as the first Bearcat to cross the finish line with a time of 31:09.3 and placed 51st overall. Wirth has been a standout this season for Cincinnati, as he was one of the top two scorers for Cincinnati at every meet.
"It was a battle out there today, men's coach Lucas Rothenberger said. "I'm really happy with our effort though. We weren't sure Milo would be able to race a few days ago, and we had a similar sentiment with Tyler prior to our conference meet. So the fact that we were able to race our full lineup today speaks volumes to the culture we are trying to build here. We had hoped to finish in the top eight today, but I'm leaving the meet extremely proud of our individual races. Matthew, Christian and Ryan ran brilliant races. Bobby ran tough as a freshman. Milo, Tyler and Julius all came into the meet far from 100% and it showed today, but I'm genuinely proud of their willingness to fight the entire race despite not having the individual success they had hoped for. We will hold true to our process and learn from today and continue to grow individually, as well as a collective group."
Senior Matt Hoak was the next to cross the finish line for Cincinnati as he placed 56th out of 196 student-athletes. Hoak completed the course in 31:24.1.
Following Hoak was graduate student Christian Stevens in 63rd place. He closed out his Cincinnati cross country career by finishing with a time of 31:28.4.
Senior Ryan Pehlman and graduate student Milo Greder rounded out the rest of the UC scorers. Pehlman crossed the line with a time of 31:31.8 and placed 67th. Greder, closed out his collegiate cross country career by finishing with a time of 32:00.8 for 91st.
Wisconsin won the men's title (50 points) and Notre Dame won the women's title (34 point). Butler's Barry Keane won the men's individual title with a time of 29:38.1 and Notre Dame's Olivia Markezich won the women's individual title with a time of 19:54.1
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Cincinnati placed 10th overall as a team with 328 points in the men's 10K, while the women placed 12th as a team with 352 points in the 6K.
The NCAA Great Lakes Regional kicked off with the women's 6K, as AAC Championships runner-up, redshirt senior Rylee Penn, ended her Cincinnati cross country career on a high note. She led the women's team with a 30th overall finish, with a time of 20:52.1.
"Heck of a season for the lady Bearcats," women's coach Sarah Anderson said." Finishing 12th in this region is a solid performance. My upperclassmen made big huge strides this season; Rylee was 153th at Regionals last time she raced, today she was 30th. Maddie was 57th last year, today 30th. Maggie improved her regional spot by 30 places this year). They trusted the process and trusted each other. Five of my top Seven return, so this race definitely makes me excited to continue pouring into this team"
Senior Maddie Walker closed out her season as the second Bearcat to cross the finish line. She placed 34th overall after climbing three spots in the last 2K. Walker completed the course in 20:57.8.
Following Walker was freshman standouts Sarah Madix and Gwen Stare. Madix finished with a time of 22:05.4, placing 88th overall, while Stare was .02 second behind Madix with a time of 22:05.6, earning 89th.
Rounding out the women's scores was senior Carmela Henning, as she ran the course in 22:24.6 and placed 114th.
In the men's 10K, Tyler Wirth closed out his season as the first Bearcat to cross the finish line with a time of 31:09.3 and placed 51st overall. Wirth has been a standout this season for Cincinnati, as he was one of the top two scorers for Cincinnati at every meet.
"It was a battle out there today, men's coach Lucas Rothenberger said. "I'm really happy with our effort though. We weren't sure Milo would be able to race a few days ago, and we had a similar sentiment with Tyler prior to our conference meet. So the fact that we were able to race our full lineup today speaks volumes to the culture we are trying to build here. We had hoped to finish in the top eight today, but I'm leaving the meet extremely proud of our individual races. Matthew, Christian and Ryan ran brilliant races. Bobby ran tough as a freshman. Milo, Tyler and Julius all came into the meet far from 100% and it showed today, but I'm genuinely proud of their willingness to fight the entire race despite not having the individual success they had hoped for. We will hold true to our process and learn from today and continue to grow individually, as well as a collective group."
Senior Matt Hoak was the next to cross the finish line for Cincinnati as he placed 56th out of 196 student-athletes. Hoak completed the course in 31:24.1.
Following Hoak was graduate student Christian Stevens in 63rd place. He closed out his Cincinnati cross country career by finishing with a time of 31:28.4.
Senior Ryan Pehlman and graduate student Milo Greder rounded out the rest of the UC scorers. Pehlman crossed the line with a time of 31:31.8 and placed 67th. Greder, closed out his collegiate cross country career by finishing with a time of 32:00.8 for 91st.
Wisconsin won the men's title (50 points) and Notre Dame won the women's title (34 point). Butler's Barry Keane won the men's individual title with a time of 29:38.1 and Notre Dame's Olivia Markezich won the women's individual title with a time of 19:54.1
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati Track and Field/Cross Country, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. and follow @GoBearcatsTFXC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.