Trailblazer Cross Country ends regular season with great showing at Angel Mounds

The Vincennes University Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams closed out the 2024 regular season Friday morning at the 2024 Angel Mounds Invitational hosted by the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville.

The Trailblazers ended the regular season on a high note in a large field of four-year schools, including many NCAA Division I teams competing.

The morning began with the Men’s 8k race, where VU freshman Anis Abdaoui (Kairouan, Tunisia) led the way for the Blue and Gold, finishing with a time of 25:18.2 and taking 31st place overall.

Freshman Kelvin Kipsang (Kapsabet, Kenya) was the second Trailblazer to cross the finish line, ending his race with a time of 26:00.5 and a 67th place finish.

Sophomores Tanner Spence (Carmi, Ill.) and Cody Noel (Hebron, Ind.) were the next Vincennes runners to place, with Spence finishing 95th overall with a time of 26:31.1 and Noel close behind at 26:43.3 in 107th place overall.

Sophomore Caden Hostetler (LaGrange, Ind.) rounded out the Vincennes scoring on the day with a final time of 26:54.1 in 119th place overall.

Freshman Lane Connaway (Carmi, Ill.) and sophomore Nathan Whitehead (Vincennes, Ind.) were the next Trailblazers across the finish line, with Connaway posting a time of 27:31.0 and Whitehead ending at 27:42.8.

Freshmen Stephen Hershberger (Fowler, Ind.) and Rylan Mullins (Greenwood, Ind.) finished with a time of 27:46.6 for Hershberger and 28:01.8 for Mullins.

Sophomore Bryaun Manuel (East St. Louis, Ill.) and freshman Alex Kwizera (Indianapolis, Ind.) were next across the line with Manual finishing with a time of 28:07.0 and 29:06.2 for Kwizera.

Freshmen Jeremy Mendez (Velpen, Ind.) and Dakoda Greci (Danville, Ind.) were the final Trailblazers under the 30 minute mark, with Mendez posting a time of 29:16.7 and 29:26.5 for Greci.

Sophomore Max Pendley (French Lick, Ind.) and freshman Tucker Henson (Louisville, Ky.) were neck and neck at the end, with Pendley finishing just ahead of Henson with a time of 30:25.4 and 30:26.1 for Henson.

Freshman Hayden Kler (Hillsboro, Ind.) was the final VU men’s team runner across the line, closing out the race for Vincennes with a time of 30:44.2.

The Trailblazer men’s team finished 10th overall, ahead of NCAA Division I program Austin Peay, with a total of 279 points.

“For our last race of the regular season, we finally had some great running conditions,” VU Head Cross Country Coach Tyler Steigenga said. “The races were in the mid-50s with little wind.”

“Anis led the way for the men, starting out very conservative through the first mile and moving up through the field to finish as a solid first runner for us,” Steigenga added. “Kelvin bounced back nicely from last race with a minute PR, just missing getting under the 26 minute barrier. Tanner had a big breakthrough as well, with a 24 second PR and running his best time of the season by a minute and a half.”

“Cody had an off day as our fourth runner, finishing just off his season’s best,” Steigenga said. “He’s capable of a lot more than he’s shown this season. Cody has a big breakthrough coming a Nationals. Caden rounded out the top five with a 29 second PR and was the fifth VU runner under 27 minutes.”

“Lane came through as our sixth man, after missing last meet with an injury,” Steigenga added. “He bounced back well and ran one of the most even races of the day with only a five second difference between each of his mile splits. Nate rounded out the top seven with an eight second PR.”

“Following Nathan, seven of the next nine VU runners finished with a PR, Stephen, Rylan, Bryaun, Alex, Jeremy, Dakoda and Tucker,” Steigenga said. “Overall 13 out of 16 of the VU men ran their personal bests today.”

The day on the course was closed out with the Women’s 6k race, where VU was once again led by freshman Sarra Belgacem (Tunis, Tunisia) who crossed the line with a final time of 24:08.2 for a 72nd place finish overall.

Sophomore Adi Fuller (Evansville, Ind.) was the second VU women’s team runner across the line, finishing with a time of 25:16.0 in 100th place overall.

Freshmen Allie Black (Lynn, Ind.) and Alexis Hale (Evansville, Ind.) were the next VU runners to finish, with Black posting a time of 26:07.2 and Hale finishing with a time of 26:18.2.

The final VU women’s team scorer was sophomore Jasmyn Self (Casey, Ill.) who crossed the line with a time of 26:45.5 in 125th place overall.

Freshman Melina Loudermilk (Bridgeport, Ill.) closed out the day for the Trailblazers on the course with a final time of 29:15.7.

The Vincennes women’s team placed 14th overall as a team with a total of 390 points.

“The women also had a great meet as well,” Steigenga said. “Sarra led the team again with a new 6k PR. Adi ran a very even race and closed well to finish as our number two runner. Both Sarra and Adi ran faster through 5k of the 6k today than their 5k race two weeks ago.”

“Allie was a bit back of where she normally runs, but finished in the top three for the team again,” Steigenga added. “Alexis ran great in her first 6k of the year after missing the first one from sickness earlier in the year. She came through 5k of the 6k today faster than her 5k PR from last year. Jasmyn continued a streak of good races and finished well as our fifth runner, just a few seconds off her 6k PR from last year.”

“Melina ran a very conservative race as it was her first competition of the season after being on crutches for three weeks in August due to an injury,” Steigenga said. “She ran a very smart race and slowly moved up to finish her first 6k.”

The Trailblazers will now shift their attention to the postseason, which begins for VU Thursday, Oct. 24 when Vincennes heads to the 2024 NJCAA Region 24 Cross Country Championships in Normal. Ill.

The VU teams will then head to Richmond, Va. Saturday, Nov. 9 for the NJCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships, followed by the Half Marathon Championships Tuesday, Nov. 12, also being held in Richmond, Va.

“Both teams did great today,” Steigenga said. “We have the potential to finish higher as a team at Nationals than we have in a long time. It was very rewarding to run some great times today after struggling through some difficult racing conditions earlier in the year. We could have gotten frustrated at not having the times that reflect our training but we didn’t. Everyone trusted the process and kept working and were rewarded today with a lot of great performances.”

MEET RESULTS

VU – 10th, 279 points

Anis Abdaoui (31) – 25:18.2

Kelvin Kipsang (67) – 26:00.5

Tanner Spence (95) – 26:31.1

Cody Noel (107) – 26:43.3

Caden Hostetler (119) – 26:54.1

Lane Connaway (140) – 27:31.0

Nathan Whitehead (150) – 27:42.8

Stephen Hershberger (154) – 27:46.6

Rylan Mullins (166) – 28:01.8

Bryaun Manuel (170) – 28:07.0

Alexis Kwizera (193) – 29:06.2

Jeremy Mendez (196) – 29:16.7

Dakoda Greci (201) – 29:26.5

Max Pendley (213) – 30:25.4

Tucker Henson (214) – 30:26.1

Hayden Kler (216) – 30:44.2

WOMEN’S RESULTS

VU – 14th, 390 points

Sarra Belgacem (72) – 24:08.2

Adi Fuller (100) – 25:16.0

Allie Black (112) – 26:07.2

Alexis Hale (117) – 26:18.2

Jasmyn Self (125) – 26:45.5

Melina Loudermilk (150) – 29:15.7