TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State cross country kicks off its 2024 cross country season Friday evening when the Sycamores take part in the Sam Bell Invitational in Bloomington, Indiana.
Friday's women's 4k race at the Sam Bell Cross Country Course will start at 6 p.m., with the men's 6k race to follow at 6:40 p.m. The original start times were bumped back an hour due to the expected heat in Friday's forecast.
Who's in the Field?
The Sycamores will be joined by Cincinnati, host institution Indiana and Southern Indiana, making Friday' meet an all-Great Lakes region meet.
Preseason Feeling
Indiana State was picked to finish in the top half of the MVC on both the men's and women's side in the 2024 preseason poll, voted on by the head coaches in the conference. The Sycamores were picked to finish fifth on the men's side and sixth on the women's side.
Head coach
Brad Butler enters his fourth season with the Sycamores, and has a strong upperclassmen group to rely on for both the men's and women's teams.
Cael Light (25:20.2) and
Layton Hall (25:31.1) both placed in the top 25 at the 2023 MVC Cross Country Championships, while
Jason Dworak ranks among the top 20 8k times in program history (24:35.7). Light was also an Honorable Mention All-MVC selection at the 2022 MVC Cross Country Championships (24:57.4).
On the women's side,
Erica Barker and
Morgan Dyer provide strong leadership to a young, but talented group. Barker ranks among the top 10 6k times in program history (21:46.2) and returns from to the fold after missing the 2023 cross country season due to injury. Dyer has consistently been in Indiana State's top five runners in recent years, and ranks among the top 20 6k times in program history (22:10.0).
Young, Talented Trees
Indiana State will look beyond its upperclassmen for scoring in 2024, and the Sycamores have a talented group of freshmen and sophomores primed to make an impact.
Tommy Claxton and
Ryan York both spent stretches in Indiana State's top seven last season, with Claxton ranking in the Trees' top five finishers at the 2023 MVC Cross Country Championships (25:51.3). York also gained experience on the national stage during the 2023-24 track and field season, competing in the steeplechase at the USATF U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Freshman
Will Kozlowski has shown the ability to be among the Trees' top seven during preseason, while
Ryan Handy, who redshirted the 2023 cross country season, already ranks in the top 10 in program history in the steeplechase following a stellar freshman track and field season.
The Trees will look to a trio of talented sophomores on the women's side to continue their climb up the program ranks.
Emma Gresham put together one of the best freshman seasons in recent memory for the Sycamores, running the fastest 5k time by an Indiana State freshman on the Sycamores' home course, the famed LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course (18:08.6). In addition, Gresham was also the Trees' top finisher in the 6k at the 2023 MVC Cross Country Championships (22:01.6). Gresham,
Halle Miller (22:12.3) and
Hadley Gradolf (22:14.1) all rank in the top 25 in program history in the 6k, while
Brittney Burak looks to factor into the Sycamores' top seven after redshirting the 2023 season.
Up Next
Indiana State plays host to its lone home meet of the season, the annual John McNichols Invitational, September 21 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on the Sycamore Cross Country teams, make sure to check out
GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including
Facebook and
Twitter. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from the both the
App Store and the
Google Play Store.
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