USI Runners Earn Preseason Rankings
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Men’s and Women’s Cross Country found spots in their respective U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Preseason Top 25 polls that were released Wednesday afternoon.
USI’s women are ranked No. 5 in the national rankings and No. 2 in the Midwest Region, while USI’s men are ranked No. 14 in the national poll and No. 3 in the Midwest Region.
Senior All-American Jennifer Comastri (Indianapolis, Indiana) returns to lead the women’s squad after netting All-America honors in the indoor track last March and outdoor track last May.
She’s joined by a talented group that includes junior transfer Kara Martin (Herrin, Illinois) as well as returning sophomore McKenna Cavanaugh (New Albany, Indiana) and returning freshman Allison Morphew (Evansville, Indiana). Martin transferred to USI from the University of Tennessee-Martin, where she finished 16th at the Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Championships as a sophomore in 2017.
Cavanaugh and Morphew each collected first-team All-America honors for their performances on USI’s Distance Medley Relay team at the NCAA II Indoor Championships last March, while Cavanaugh was second-team All-America in the indoor 3,000 meters before posting a provisional qualifying mark in the 3,000-meter steeplechase during the outdoor season.
USI’s men welcome the return of junior All-American Titus Winders (Mansfield, Tennessee) to its cross country lineup after the two-time defending Midwest Region champion sat out COVID-19 shortened 2000 campaign.
He’ll be joined by his younger brother in returning freshman Silas Winders (Mansfield, Tennessee), who has looked strong early in training camp, as well as two-time All-GLVC honoree Grady Wilkinson (Mt. Carmel, Illinois), a senior who was 12th at the GLVC Championships a year ago.
Also look for returning senior Wyat Harmon (Fredericktown, Ohio) and returning junior Noah Hufnagel (Santa Claus, Indiana) as well as sophomore transfer Mitchell Hopf (Santa Claus, Indiana) to make a big impact on the Eagles’ lineup in 2021. Harmon and Hufnagel each earned All-GLVC honors on the cross country course last fall before earning second-team All-GLVC honors on the track last spring, while Hopf comes to USI from Indiana State University where he appeared in four cross country meet and two indoor track meets as a freshman in 2019-20.
USI opens the season on September 10 when it competes at the Stegemoller Classic at Angel Mounds in Evansville, Indiana.
