Trailblazer Cross Country pick right time to have best showing of the year at Nationals

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Vincennes University men’s and women’s Cross Country teams took part in the NJCAA Division I National Championships Saturday morning at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.

The No.16-ranked VU women’s team kicked off the day with the 5k and came away with a 16th place finish as a team.

The Trailblazer women were led by sophomore Daisie Kinnett (Wheatland, Ind.) who placed 47th overall with a time of 20:18.6.

Sophomore Hope Laughlin (Olney, Ill.) had a very impressive race to finish 87th with a time of 21:42.5.

Freshman Ada Peterman (Clay, Ill.) was right behind Laughlin at the finish line, coming in 89th with a time of 21:45.1.

Sophomore Brittany Page placed 110th with a finishing time of 22:25.3 and Makenna Pruett battled to place 132nd at 23:16.2.

“The course ran very slow today as a result of the heat and humidity in Florida,” VU Assistant Cross Country Coach Tyler Steigenga said. “Both teams went out conservatively and did a great job moving up throughout the race.”

“Daisie led the way for the women and managed to PR despite the tough conditions,” Steigenga added. “She moved up 31 places from the first split taken just after the mile to finish 47th. Hope also had a PR and moved up 38 places.”

The No. 13 VU men’s team improved on their final ranking at Nationals, placing 12th overall Saturday in the 8k.

The Trailblazers were led by Region 24 Champion sophomore Mathew Keitany (Kenya) who came away with a 42nd place finish at 26:34.8.

Sophomores Ernest Momodu (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Ian Boit (Kimilili, Kenya) were next across the line, with Momodu finishing 61st overall at 27:31.7 and Boit finishing 67th at 27:44.2.

Freshman Isaac Stanford (Flora, Ill.) and sophomore Trenton Faulkner (Wheatland, Ind.) round out the VU scorers with Stanford placing 91st at 28:47.4 and Faulkner 93rd at 28:49.8.

Sophomore Reed Lawless (Kouts, Ind.) placed 130th at 30:13.4 and freshman Sol O’Blenis (Amboy, Ind.) placed 161st at 31:31.9.

“Mathew led the men’s team, as he has all season,” Steigenga said. “He moved up 26 places over the race to finish 42nd. Ernest and Ian did a great job of working together for most of the race and moved up 42 and 35 places respectively to finish as our second and third runners. Trenton stepped up big as our fifth man today. He went from 142nd place after the first split to finishing 93rd overall, passing 49 runners. He had a great finish down the homestretch and gave everything he had to make sure we held our position.”

Members of the Trailblazer Cross Country teams will stick around Tallahassee for a few extra days to compete in the NJCAA Half Marathon Championships Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Miller’s Landing Road.