Kunkel led The Red and White on Saturday, finishing seventh and earning First Team All-CUSA. The women would finish in ninth while the men wrapped up seventh place.
HOW IT HAPPENEDÂ
The women's 6k race kicked off the 2025 CUSA Championships Saturday morning. Kunkel led WKU again, finishing within the top-10, placing seventh. Kunkel's time of 20:36 was not only a PR for the native of Bedford, Ky. but also the third best 6K time in WKU History, dating back to 1985.
Kunkel was followed by Brooke Greenwell who finished inside the top-50, taking 47th in the race. Greenwell was the second of five Hilltoppers in the women's race to set a personal best. Kathryn Harris, Caterina Rossomanno, and Sofia Witt all followed suit, crossing the finish line in a new record time. Hannah Glassmeyer competed in her first meet as a Hilltopper and claimed 87th place.
The men's 8k got underway at 10 a.m. CT. Jake Younger was the first Hilltopper to cross the finish line, checking in at 28th. Five Hilltoppers followed behind Younger, each finishing in the top-40. Mikie Carnell, Sam Herbig, and Trevor Hudnall all set personal bests in the process.
Two veterans for the men also managed to set a personal record Saturday morning. Bowling Green native Michael House finished in 25:41 and senior Wade Balcom set a new best, checking in at 25:53.
In total, five men and five women set new records on the course Saturday morning. The men finished up seventh out of 10 with 161 points and the women finished ninth out of 12 with 220 points.
NOTABLESÂ
- Kinley Kunkel set another new best in the 6k race, finishing in 20:36, good for seventh place and First Team All-CUSA.
- Kunkel improved over 28 seconds from her previous PR set at the Angel Mounds Invitational on Oct. 17
- Kunkel's time is the third best in program history in the women's 6k.
- Her time is also the best in a 6k race since joining Conference USA back in 2014.
- Kunkel is just the third ever for WKU to earn First Team All-CUSA and the first since 2015.
- Kunkel has now finished in the top-10 in three of four meets this season.
- In total, 10 Hilltoppers finished with a new personal best Saturday morning. Five for the women and five for the men.
- Greenwell finished within the top-50, taking 47th with a personal best mark of 21:56.
- Jake Younger led the way for the men on Friday morning, finishing in 25:03, good for 28th place.
- Mikie Carnell followed close behind and set PR while claiming 32nd place.
- Another freshman in Sam Herbig joined Carnell and set a PR with a mark of 25:30.
- Trevor Hudnall set a PR on Saturday, finishing in 25:35 and cracking the top-40.
- Michael House improved his 8k time by 32 seconds, finishing in 25:41.
- Wade Balcom was the final Hilltopper to record a personal best, finishing in 25:53, three seconds faster than his previous.
- The men finished with 161 points as a team, marking the best finish for the Hilltoppers in the CUSA Championships since 2014, their first year in the league.
Women's Results - 9th Place (6k)
7th - Kinley Kunkel - 20:36.31*
47th - Brooke Greenwell - 21:56.50*
57th - Kathryn Harris - 22:12.11*
58th - Caterina Rossomanno - 22:14.62*
84th - Sofia Witt - 23:34.90*
87th - Hannah Glassmeyer - 24:00.19
Men's Results - 7th Place (8k)
28th - Jake Younger - 25:03.70
32nd - Mikie Carnell - 25:07.68*
33rd - Ryan Hendrix - 25:13.52
35th - Hollis Johnson - 25:27.26
38th - Sam Herbig - 25:30.95*
39th - Trevor Hudnall - 25:35.08*
42nd - Michael House - 25:41.18*
49th - Wade Balcom - 25:53.06*
67th - Bryce Revo - 26:50.08
75th - Rowen Wilkinson - 27:52.41
NEXT UP
WKU will compete in the NCAA Southeast Regional meet on Friday, Nov. 14. The meet will be held in Charlottesville, Va.
FOLLOW THE TOPS: For complete information on WKU XC and T&F, follow the team on Twitter at WKUXCTF. The team is also on Instagram and Facebook.
