COLUMBIA, Mo. – Indiana State cross country faced its toughest competition to date Friday at the Pre-National Invitational, with multiple Sycamores running career-best times at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course.
 
Competing against a plethora of mainstays in the regional and national rankings, the Trees placed 29th on the men's side and 30th on the women's side. Indiana State placed ahead of the likes of Kansas and Purdue on the women's side, while also finishing ahead of Iowa on the men's side. Three different Sycamores ran career-best 6k or 8k times at Friday's meet, which was contested on the same course that will host the national championships in just over a month.
 
Ryan York led the way for the Sycamores on the men's side for the second straight meet, crossing the line in 24:59.6, while freshmen Chris Angeles and Mason Nobles followed behind with career-best times of 25:17.0 and 25:22.6, respectively.
 
Emerson Fayman (25:43.5) and Parker Mimbela (25:45.3) rounded out the scorers for the Blue and White in Friday's race. Ryan Handy (26:07.3), Bradon Mueller (26:17.6) and Will Kozlowski (27:19.2) closed out the entries for Indiana State.
 
Brittney Burak paced the Blue and White on the women's side with a 6k time of 21:12.3, an improvement by more than 30 seconds from her time at the John McNichols Invitational four weeks ago. Sawyer DeWitt ran a career-best 6k time of 21:32.3 and Peyton Smith crossed the line in 21:42.9 to round out the Trees' top three.
 
Gnister Grant (21:49.4) and Halle Miller (21:54.1) closed out the scorers for the Sycamores. Emma Gresham (22:25.8) and Alli Steffey (23:19.7) rounded out the Sycamore contingent in Friday's race.
 
BYU, the top-ranked team in the nation, won the team title on the women's side, while Georgia won the men's team title. Florida's Kelvin Cheruiyot won the individual title on the men's side, while BYU's Jane Hedengren shattered the course record on the women's side to cruise to the individual title.
 
Indiana State Results (Men's 8K/Women's 6K)
WOMEN: 29th of 38 teams (110-143-159-170-175-(220)-(254)) – 757 points
117. Brittney Burak – 21:12.3
153. Sawyer DeWitt – 21:32.3 (12th in program history)
175. Peyton Smith – 21:42.9
189. Gnister Grant – 21:49.4
197. Halle Miller – 21:54.1
259. Emma Gresham – 22:25.8
315. Alli Steffey – 23:19.7
Hadley Gradolf – DNF
 
MEN: 29th of 32 teams (117-143-148-172-175-(189)-(197)) – 755 points
126. Ryan York – 24:59.6
159. Chris Angeles – 25:17.0
165. Mason Nobles – 25:22.6
199. Emerson Fayman – 25:43.5
203. Parker Mimbela – 25:45.3
225. Ryan Handy – 26:07.3
236. Brandon Mueller – 26:17.6
254. Will Kozlowski – 27:19.2
 
Up Next
Indiana State sets its sights on the MVC Cross Country Championships October 31 in Evansville, Indiana.
 
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