Cross country opens 2016 campaign
 CHARLESTON, Ill. – Hanna Welch and Ricky Hendrix were the top performers as the University of Evansville cross country teams opened up the 2016 season on Friday at the Eastern Illinois University Walt Crawford Open.
Welch led the way for the ladies, finishing the 5K course in a time of 18:48.14 to take 10th place overall out of 69 runners. She was 9th among Division I runners in her debut for the Purple Aces. Her effort was also the second-best 5K time for the squad since the beginning of last season.
Five spots behind her in the final running order was Siena Crews. The sophomore circled the course in a time of 19:14.53. She came home in 13th among D-I racers and 22nd on the final leaderboard. Third on the squad was Ashton Bosler. Her time of 20:24.53 put her 22nd in the D-I order.
Kylie Hasenour and Michelle Karp rounded out the top five for the women. Hasenour made her college debut, finishing the race in 20:27.64 to take 23rd. Karp was two spots behind. Her run of 21:18.19 was good for 25th.
Next up was Anna Loef, who had her best 5K run in two years. Her time of 23:34.38 was 21 seconds better than her fastest race of 2015. It placed her 26thon the Division I list. Katie Beaber was just behind with a 22:37.38 while August Martinez (23:27.62) and Hayley Elliott (25:37.71) rounded out the squad.
Ricky Hendrix burst onto the scene for the men, finishing his 8K effort in a time of 27:15.79. His debut time was the quickest for a UE runner since Josh Genet posted a 26:29.25 in the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Championship. He came home in 12th place.
Just behind him was another newcomer – Stanley Chepchieng. His 28:35.05 saw him earn a 20th place finish on the Division I leaderboard. Third for the men was Paul Schwartz. The senior set a PR with his 28:35.16. It bested his previous top time of 29:04.2, which was set in last year’s UE Invitational at Angel Mounds.
Aaron Cochran was fourth for the Aces squad. In his first collegiate race, Cochran took 22nd with his time of 28:55.66. Ross Frondorf completed the top five for UE, taking 23rd on the heels of a 29:04.00.
Tucker Dawson and Andrew Barrett finished 25th and 26th, respectively, in the D-I order. Dawson debuted with a time of 29:25.81 while Barrett completed the race in 30:14.15. Ben Woolems, Jonathan Newby and Daniel Zoufal were the other performers for the Purple Aces. Woolems ran a 31:17.96 with Newby checking in with a 32:02.69. Zoufal ran a 35:20.53.
Following an off weekend, UE returns to the course on Sept. 16 in Bloomington for the Indiana Collegiate Championships.
