NCAA Pre-Nationals Concludes WKU Cross Country Regular Season

Saturday, October 14

Louisville, Ky.

10:30 a.m. CT

Western Kentucky University

NCAA Division I Pre-Nationals

NCAA Pre-Nationals Concludes WKU Cross Country Regular Season

10/14/2017 3:02:00 PM | Cross Country

RESULTS

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Returning to Louisville for the second-consecutive meet, WKU Cross Country wrapped up regular-season competition with the Louisville-hosted NCAA Division I Pre-Nationals Invitational from the E.P. 'Tom' Sawyer State Park course. On the men's side, the Red and White claimed a 20^th-place finish led by three top-100 finishers. The women finished 29^th as a unit.

Leading the Hilltoppers was Endalow Takele for the fourth-straight meet. Takele crossed the line 33^rd overall with an 8K reading of 25:00.8, his top time at the distance this season. Julien Cuyeu followed with a 75^th-place, crossing the line in 25:35.5. Taylor Scarbrough was the Hilltoppers' third runner to turn in a top-100 finish, taking 91^st with a reading of 25:44.6. Alexander Schell (196^th, 27:28.9) and Barrett Eddings (212^th, 28:58.8) rounded out the Hilltopper competitors.

The men's black 8K race team title was claimed by Ohio State while BYU, Oregon, Virginia Tech and Bowling Green rounded out the top five of the 24-team field. Also from Conference USA, North Texas claimed 11^th. WKU finished with an average race time of 26:34 on the day.

On the women's side, WKU took 29^th as a team led again by Savannah Ames' 120^th-place finish and 22:51.3 reading in the 6K. Brianna Wolken was the Lady Toppers' second finisher, taking 249^th with a mark of 25:30.1. Rylie Mercer (255^th, 26:05.0), Morgan Kannapel (256^th, 26:06.0) and Aairiona Hayden-Ransom (259^th, 29:01.8) rounded out the WKU runners.

In the women's black 6K, Nevada claimed the team title while BYU, Michigan, Arkansas and Ohio filled out the top five. Charlotte (12^th) and Rice (15^th) also represented Conference USA in the 29-team field. WKU finished with an average race time of 25:55.

WKU Cross Country will now set its sights on the Conference USA Championships, which will take place in two weeks on Oct. 28 in Hattiesburg, Miss.