Wittenberg Cross Country Opens 2023 Season At Tommy Evans Invite

The Wittenberg Tigers Cross Country teams traveled to Norton, Ohio for the Tommy Evans Invite, hosted by the Akron Zips. The course was a regional preview for November when the teams will head back for the NCAA Division Three Regional Championships. 

The women were up first for the Tigers as they took on the 5k course amongst multiple division one and two programs as well as top ranked division three regional and national teams. The team was able to take home as the top division three team and a fourth-place finish. Overall. The top finisher for the Tigers was sophomore Ella Webster. Webster broke the XC 5K school record with a time of 18:08.1. Her performance earned an individual fourth place finish. Coming in behind her was senior Sydney Khosla. Khosla finished in ninth place with a time of 18:30.5. The third Tiger in was junior Megan Keys. Keys was able to finish in 18:55.3, earning 24th place. Rounding out the top five was sophomore Emma Hawk in 19:31.1, and freshman, Maddi Clark. Clark made her colligate debut for the Tigers with a time of 19:58.9.

On the men's side the team finished in 12th place. The top finisher was junior Conor Kolka, taking on the 6k course with a time of 19:25.7. Sophomore, Lucas Eisele, was the second runner with a time of 20:07.7. Making his Wittenberg cross country debut was freshmen, Lukas Rieben. Rieben was able to stay connected with Eisele finishing in 20:12.7. The fourth finisher for the Tigers was sophomore Evan Haemmerle, who also made his Wittenberg Tigers debut. Haemmerle finished in 20:16.9. Rounding out the top five was senior, Peter Caine in a time of 20:29.9. 

The Wittenberg Cross Country program is off to a great start for the season and is looking forward to the NCAC Preview. Hosted by Denison University on Saturday, September 9th in Granville, OH.