TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Temperatures finally dropped in Terre Haute, but the action on the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course only heated up Friday, as Indiana State squared off with the top talent in the nation as Under Armour Pre-National Invitational hosts.
 
Seven different Sycamores recorded program top-20 Lavern Gibson times during the premier regular season cross country meet, with Brittney Burak and Emerson Fayman both making their mark on the history book. Burak became the first Sycamore to ever break 21 minutes in the 6k at LaVern Gibson, while Fayman's 8k time in Friday's meet was one that only the legendary John Mascari has bettered in program history.
 
Burak's time of 20:59.9 placed her in the top 100 in the field, with Hadley Gradolf's time of 21:20.8 also ranking in the top five in program history for 6k times run on the Sycamores' home course. Halle Miller and Eve Schurr both clocked top-15 program 6k performances at LaVern Gibson with their times of 21:53.2 and 21:55.4, respectively, with Schurr breaking 22 minutes for the first time in her career.
 
Katy Green was the fifth Sycamore across the line in 22:06.4, a mark which also ranked in the top 15 in program history for times run at LaVern Gibson. Gnister Grant (22:23.7) and Lily Rollings (22:47.7) rounded out the Sycamore contingent in the women's blue division race.
 
Indiana State placed 37th as a team, finishing ahead of Ohio and Miami (Ohio), two teams ranked ahead of the Sycamores in the Great Lakes Region. The Trees also finished ahead of former MVC foe Loyola Chicago and another regionally ranked team from the Midwest in South Dakota State.
 
Fayman made the most of his opportunity to compete against the nation's top talent, running as an individual in the men's blue division race. His time of 24:30.7 moved him all the way up to second in program history for 8k times LaVern Gibson, behind only two-time NCAA Cross Country All-American John Mascari.
 
Indiana State also had a trio of athletes compete in the women's white division race, led by Hallie Mimbela with a time of 22:57.7. Kamilla Gibson crossed the line in 23:05.9, while Ada Sabo clocked a time of 25:03.7.
 
Fayman wasn't the only Sycamore men's athlete to post a strong performance in Terre Haute, with the Trees finishing fourth as a team in the men's white division race. The Sycamores finished ahead of the likes of Kansas and Saint Louis, along with MVC schools Valparaiso, Evansville and Murray State.
 
Brandon Mueller led the way for the Blue and White in 21st with a time of 24:59.9, a top 20 LaVern Gibson time in program history. Ryan Handy also finished in the top 40 overall at 25:10.4, while Xander Fackler was the third Tree across the line in 25:23.9. Ryan York and Chris Angeles rounded out the top five for the Sycamores with their times of 25:29.9 and 25:49.4, respectively.
 
Parker Mimbela and Alex Alvarez closed out the top seven for the Trees by running times of 26:20.5 and 26:28.5, respectively. Henry McMurry (26:31.2) and Jcim Grant (26:51.9) rounded out the distance crew for the Blue and White, while mid-distance runner Caden Emmert also represented the Sycamores on the course with a time of 28:55.8.
 
No. 2 BYU won both women's team races with scores of 84 in the blue division and 24 in the white division beat No. 1 NC State in both races. No. 8 Syracuse won the men's blue division race ahead of No. 14 Villanova with a score of 115, while No. 15 Notre Dame won the men's white division race with a score of 50, finishing ahead of Lipscomb.
 
NC State's Hannah Gapes broke the women's 6k course record with a time of 18:57.6 to win the blue division race, becoming the first women's athlete to break 19 minutes in the 6k at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. Tulane's Silas Kiptanui used a strong kick at the end to win the men's blue division 8k in 23:17.4. BYU's Tessa Buswell won the women's white division 6k with a time of 20:27.5, while Villanova's Ben Thomas won the men's white division 8k in 24:23.6.
 
Indiana State Results (Men's 8K/Women's 6K)
WOMEN'S BLUE 6K: 37th of 43 teams (88-165-240-244-255-(271)-(282))– 992 points
90. Brittney Burak – 20:50.9 (fastest 6k ever by a Sycamore at LaVern Gibson)
170. Hadley Gradolf – 21:20.8 (fifth in program history – LaVern Gibson 6k times)
250. Halle Miller – 21:53.2 (12th in program history – LaVern Gibson 6k times)
254. Eve Schurr – 21:55.4 (13th in program history – LaVern Gibson 6k times)
266. Katy Green – 22:06.4 (15th in program history – LaVern Gibson 6k times)
290. Gnister Grant – 22:23.7
305. Lily Rollings – 22:47.7
Robyn Schemel - DNF
 
MEN'S BLUE 8K: No Team Score
145. Emerson Fayman – 24:30.7 (second-fastest 8k at LaVern Gibson by a Sycamore athlete)
 
WOMEN'S WHITE 6K: No Team Score
187. Hallie Mimbela – 22:57.7
199. Kamilla Gibson – 23:05.9
274. Ada Sabo – 25:03.7
 
MEN'S WHITE 8K: 4th of 16 teams (13-18-29-31-48-(79)-(83))– 139 points
21. Brandon Mueller – 24:59.9 (20th in program history – LaVern Gibson 8k times)
34. Ryan Handy – 25:10.4
56. Xander Fackler – 25:23.9
62. Ryan York – 25:29.9
91. Chris Angeles – 25:49.4
135. Parker Mimbela – 26:20.5
144. Alex Alvarez – 26:28.5
147. Henry McMurry – 26:31.2
158. Jcim Grant – 26:51.9
198. Caden Emmert – 28:55.8
 
Up Next
Indiana State turns its attention to the postseason, starting with the 2026 MVC Championships October 30 in Des Moines, Iowa.
 
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