University of Missouri
Illini Challenge
Cross Country Opens at Illinois
9/5/2015 4:36:00 PM | Cross Country
The men and women traveled to the Illini Challenge to kick off their 2015 season
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Tigers opened up their 2015 campaign in Illinois on Friday, matching up against the Fighting Illini and, on the women's side, Northern Illinois. This is the first of nine meets scheduled for Mizzou Cross Country this fall. The next will be the Forest Park XC Festival in St. Louis, Mo., on Friday, September 11.
The women kicked off the evening's events on Friday at the Arboretum where freshmen Kate Smith and Kelli Jackson led the Tigers with top ten finishes in the field. The pair stuck with the lead pack for the majority of the race, only spreading out with about 1000m left on the 5000m course. Smith was first across the line for the black and gold, crossing in third overall with a final time of 18:09.60. Jackson was not far behind, finishing sixth in 18:33.00.
Also coming through in the top ten was Ellyn Atkinson, a redshirt sophomore who made her Tiger debut on the cross country course as the team's third finisher (18:59.20). Sophomores Bailey Hession and Valeska Halamicek rounded out the top five scorers for Mizzou in 12th and 15th, respectfully.
On the men's side, it was returning All-SEC finisher, junior Will Crocker, who led the charge. Crocker, who placed second at the outdoor conference championships in the 1500m, crossed in 19:20.30 on the 6000m course, good for ninth in the field. Another mid-distance specialist, sophomore Ben Goodman, was next across the line in 13th overall, followed by redshirt freshman Patrick Kearns (15th), sophomore Cain Winebrenner (16th), and junior Tim Johnson (17th).
"We had some nice performances at Illinois," Head Coach Marc Burns, starting his second year with the Tigers, said. "It was great to see our freshman women run so well in their first collegiate meet. Both teams competed hard, and those that ran here last year showed big improvements. Kate Smith and Will Crocker looked very good leading the way for the Tigers. It will be exciting to see the entire team line up together on Friday in St. Louis for the Forest Park XC Festival. It is very important to us to race in our home state, so we are pumped!"
The Tigers will be back in action on September 11 at the Forest Park XC Festival starting at 4:30 pm with the women's 5000m, followed by the men's 5000m at 5:15 pm. For the latest on your Tigers, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MIZ_TrackField.
WOMEN'S RESULTS (5000m)
3. Kate Smith, 18:09.60 // 6. Kelli Jackson, 18:33.00 // 10. Ellyn Atkinson, 18:59.20 // 12. Bailey Hession, 19:24.60 // 15. Valeska Halamicek, 19:46.70 // 16. Hannah Thomas, 19:49.20 // 17. Emmie Hahn, 19:55.20 // 19. Elly DeTurris, 19:57.90 // 20. Carolyn White, 19:59.70 // 23. Kayla Friesen, 20:53.80 // 26. Bianca Mello, 21:21.90
MEN'S RESULTS (6000m)
9. Will Crocker, 19:20.30 // 13. Ben Goodman, 19:53.50 // 15. Patrick Kearns, 19:56.00 // 16. Cain Winebrenner, 20:04.10 // 17. Tim Johnson, 20:13.80 // 23. Brian Hernan, 20:26.30 // 25. Mark Sheridan, 20:29.10
Players Mentioned
