NASHVILLE, Tenn. – WKU Cross Country kicked off the 2018 season with a fifth place finish by the Hilltoppers and a seventh place outing by the Lady Toppers at the Belmont Opener in Nashville, Tenn. Seven of the Red and White's 10 competitors at the outing were making their debut for WKU.
Action from Percy Warner Park – Vaughn's Creek Cross Country Course opened with the women's 5K race that saw the Lady Toppers finish seventh in the 10-team field. Freshman Heather Whitlow led the Red and White with a 21:29.19 reading for 22nd overall.
LADY TOPPER FINISHERS
- Heather Whitlow – 21:29.19 – 22nd
- Morgan Kannapel – 22:43.41 – 31st
- Brianna Wolken – 22:48.31 – 33rd
- Abby Luce – 25:30.99 – 44th
- Aairiona Hayden-Ransom – 27:40.43 – 46th
On the men's side, all five WKU competitors made their collegiate debut in Music City. Matthew Wininger led the way for the Red and White with a 16:49.46 reading for an overall finish of 20th.
HILLTOPPER FINISHERS
- Matthew Wininger – 16:49.46 – 20th
- Dedrick Troxell – 16:57.94 – 22nd
- Luke Hoover – 17:05.32 – 24th
- Michael Sherman – 17:09.84 – 28th
- Emerson Wells – 17:15.82 – 31st
This weekend's Belmont Opener marked the first of four-straight weekends the WKU distance squads will head to Tennessee. In their next trip to the Volunteer State, the Hilltoppers will head to Cookeville for the Tennessee Tech-hosted Golden Eagle Invite.
How to follow WKU Cross Country: For complete information on WKU Cross Country, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUTrackField.
