TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Evansville junior Samuel Lea (Worcester, United Kingdom/Worcester Sixth Form College) won the men's 8K in dramatic fashion at the John McNichols Invitational on Friday morning, helping his team to a fourth place finish. On the women's side, the Aces finished fifth, led by sophomore Chase Hayes (Noblesville, Ind./Western), who finished 15th.
Lea won the men's race with a time of 24:47.35, edging out Miami (Ohio)'s Chis Perkins by one second to take the title. The time marks a personal best for Lea and ties Nick Waniger (2006) for the ninth-best 8K time in program history. Rafael Rodriguez (Segovia, Spain/Colegio Claret) placed 24th with a time of 26:00.24, while Woody Burrell (Cedarburg, Wis. Cedarburg) finished closely behind in 28th place at 26:06.43. Tommaso Losma (Lombardia, Italy/Liceo Scientifico David Maria Turoldo, Zogno (Bg)) and Nathan Whitehead Vincennes, Ind./Vincennes) also finished inside the top 50 to help UE finish fourth in the 13-team field.
On the women's side, Hayes paced the Aces for the third time this season, tying Nicole Prauchner (2023) for the 14th-best 6K time in program history and setting a new personal best at 22:29.93. Avery Stephens (Newburgh, Ind/Castle) was the next UE finisher, posting a time of 23:14.48 to place 27th. Freshman Kyleigh Wolf (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) finished 33rd with a time of 23:33.07, while Evansville finished fifth in the 11-team field.
The Aces cross country teams return to the course next Friday for the Gans Creek Classic, hosted by Missouri in Colombia, Mo.
| John McNichols Invitational (September 20) |
| Women's 6K |
Men's 8K |
| 15 |
Chase Hayes |
22:29.93 |
1 |
Samuel Lea |
24:47.35 |
| 27 |
Avery Stephens |
23:14.48 |
24 |
Rafael Rodriguez |
26:00.54 |
| 33 |
Kyleigh Wolf |
23:33.07 |
28 |
Woody Burrell |
26:06.43 |
| 56 |
Josie Lynch |
24:52.13 |
38 |
Tommaso Losma |
26:17.48 |
| 58 |
Lauren Bradley |
25:01.09 |
43 |
Nathan Whitehead |
26:20.30 |
| 66 |
Kyndall Anthis |
25:30.45 |
55 |
Cedrik Flipo |
26:42.79 |
| 72 |
Veronica Wilgocki |
26:08.21 |
58 |
Tanner Spence |
26:48.86 |
| 81 |
Sidney Charles |
26:48.96 |
64 |
Owen Cuplin |
27:08.43 |
| 91 |
Ella Sinn |
28:10.38 |
65 |
Nathan Campbell |
27:11.14 |
|
|
|
81 |
Nicholas Hirsch |
27:44.59 |
|
|
|
84 |
Oliver Wilgocki |
27:49.85 |
|
|
|
88 |
Kadin McAllister |
27:53.83 |
|
|
|
99 |
Thomas Wamser |
28:33.62 |
|
|
|
100 |
Jake Antibus |
28:42.11 |
