EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Men’s and Women’s Cross Country are slated to compete in two meets this weekend after adding the University of Evansville Invitational to its already scheduled trip to Peoria, Illinois to compete at the Bradley Pink Classic.
Â
The Screaming Eagles begin the weekend with the Bradley Pink Classic Friday at the Newman Golf Course in Peoria. The women’s six-kilometer race is scheduled for 3 p.m., while the men’s 8k is slated to start at 3:45 p.m.
Â
Most of the USI runners that will compete for the Eagles at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships October 29 will toe the line at the Bradley Pink Classic, while the rest of the Eagles will compete at the UE Invitational Saturday at Angel Mounds.
Â
The men’s 8k at the UE Invitational is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., while the women’s 5k is slated for a 10:45 a.m. start time.
Â
USI’s men are led by senior Noah Hufnagel (Santa Claus, Indiana) and junior Mitchell Hopf (Santa Claus, Indiana). Hufnagel is coming off a record-breaking performance at the Live in Lou Classic that saw him break USI and Great Lakes Valley Conference Hall of Famer Jim Nolan’s 39-year-old 8k record in a ninth-place finish.
Â
The NCAA Division II All-American finished the race in 23 minutes, 36.6 seconds, which was more than six seconds faster than Nolan’s mark of 23:43.0, which was set at the 1983 Indiana Intercollegiate.
Â
Hopf, meanwhile, has been a strong performer throughout the 2022 campaign at the No. 2 spot for the Eagles.
Â
He was 42nd at the Live in Lou Classic two weeks ago and 39th at the North Alabama Showcase two weeks ago.
Â
Sophomores Dylan Bland (Holland, Indiana) and Brady Terry (Philpot, Kentucky) also have been big contributors for USI’s men. Bland has been USI’s No. 3 finisher all season, while Terry has given the Eagles solid production from the No. 4 spot this season.
Â
Juniors McKenna Cavanaugh (New Albany, Indiana) and Lauren Greiwe (West Harrison, Indiana) continue to pace the women’s squad. Cavanaugh is coming off a 72nd-place finish at the Live in Lou Classic and has been USI’s top finisher each of the past two outings, while Greiwe was 79th and was the Eagles’ No. 2 finisher for the second straight competition.
Â
USI has seen movement between junior Aubrey Swart (Noblesville, Indiana) and sophomores Audrey Comastri (Indianapolis, Indiana) and Allison Morphew (Evansville, Indiana) inside its top five. Swart was USI’s No. 3 finisher two weeks ago, while Comastri was the Eagles’ No. 3 finisher at the North Alabama Showcase last month. Morphew has been steady inside USI’s top five all season after debuting as the Eagles’ No. 3 finisher at the Covered Bridge Classic.
Â
This is the final week of regular-season action for the Eagles, who will wrap up their inaugural season in Division I with the OVC Championships October 29 in Cookeville, Tennessee.
Bradley Pink Classic Competitors
Men: Noah Hufnagel, Mitchell Hopf, Dylan Bland, Brady Terry, Ethan Goddard, Taylor Mills, Nick Dombroski, Mukal Verma
Women: McKenna Cavanaugh, Lauren Greiwe, Audrey Comastri, Aubrey Swart, Emma Brown, Allison Morphew, Micah Peals, Emily Rempe, Katie WinklerÂ
UE Invitational Competitors
Men: Wimach GIlo, Ryan Luitjohan, Joseph Russler, Todd Baxter, Will Sims, Jackson Davis, Joshua Myers, Garrett Ardis, Ross Ellis, Ethan Hall, Carson Kleinhelter
Women: Emily Armstrong, Kati Hoerig, Shelby Livingston, Parker Provost, Carmen Rodriguez, Adele Schnautz, Emma Thompson
