NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The App State men's and women's cross country teams wrapped competition at Notre Dame's Joe Piane Invitational on Friday. The women's team finished second with 106 points in the team standings of the women's gold 5K and saw seven personal bests on the day. The men's team saw five personal bests and finished 19th in the men's blue 8K team standings with 507 points.
"On paper, the team had a great meet with a second-place finish in a field of 23 teams, a number of personal bests, and improvement on our team average," said women's distance coach
Annie Richards. "What doesn't necessarily show on paper is how the team has carried themselves this week, as we've navigated the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. I'm exceptionally proud of this group of women. They have handled the uncertainty of the week while supporting each other and our community. We're grateful to be competing and doing what we do best."
Senior
Jasmine Donohue set pace for the Mountaineers, finishing ninth overall with a personal best time of 17:24.5 in the women's gold 5K. Fellow seniors
Emma Russum and
Lauren Johnston were next to cross the finish line to finish 16th (17:37.1, PR) and 17th (17:39.8), respectively. With a personal best time of 17:50.3, senior
Lana Farris placed 24th overall. Sophomore
Rhys Ammon rounded out the top-40 with a personal best time of 18:05.2.
In the women's open 5K race, sophomore Mary Biagini clocked a personal best of 18:56.1 to place 68th overall. Junior
Maddie Quinn stopped the clock at 19:04.5 to place 77th.
Graduate student
Ethan Turner set pace for the Mountaineers in the men's blue 8K race, finishing 69th with a personal best of 23:47.6. Redshirt junior
Chase Burrell rounded out the top-80 with a personal best of his own, stopping the clock at 23:53.0.
"As a team, we need to battle for the entire 8K," said men's distance coach
Brad Herbster. "
Ethan Turner raced well and continues to show good improvement.
Chase Burrell put together a nice race. It has been a long week for our team and now, as we are firmly in October, we will determine the next race for our group, as we are unsure of hosting a home meet due to the hurricane."
Freshmen
Aaron Kidd and
Thomas Wlazlowski stopped the clock at 24:31.2 and 24:45.6, respectively, to record 8K personal bests. Rounding out the Mountaineers' five scorers was junior
Ethan Lipham, who stopped the clock at 25:01.7.
