TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State welcomed some of the top talent in the nation to the famed LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course Saturday, as the Sycamores played host to the John McNichols Invitational, one of the premier early-season meets on the calendar.
 
Competing on its home course for the first of three regular season meets in Terre Haute, the Sycamores finished 18th on the women's side and 29th on the men's side. A pair of upperclassmen in Brittney Burak and Emerson Fayman paced the Blue and White on the women's and men's side, respectively.
 
Burak finished in the top 75 with a 6k time of 21:22.1, a result which ranks her among the top five times in program history at LaVern Gibson. Hadley Gradolf was behind her in 78th, with her time of 21:34.1 also placing her in the top 10 LaVern Gibson 6k times in program history. Local product Halle Miller also worked her way up the program ranks, as her time of 21:58.4 placed her in the top 15 6k times in program history at LaVern Gibson.
 
Peyton Smith was the fourth Sycamore to cross the line, stopping the clock at 22:30.9 in her season debut, with Eve Schurr's time of 22:42.1 rounding out the Sycamores' scorers. Gnister Grant and Lily Rollings closed out the top seven for the Trees with times of 22:58.8 and 23:16.6, respectively, with Katy Green (23:19.4) and Emersyn Bland (24:09.4) rounding out Indiana State's contingent in the women's championship race.
 
Fayman was the first Sycamore to cross the line on the men's side, with the fifth-year Tree clocking a time of 25:27.2. Underclassmen accounted for three of the Sycamores' top five finishers, with Chris Angeles the next to stop the clock 26:23.7. Ryan Handy was right behind with his time of 26:24.9, while freshmen Andrew Straley (26:41.7) and Henry McMurry (26:43.5) rounded out the top five for the Blue and White.
 
Ryan York and Brandon Mueller closed out the Sycamores' top seven with times of 26:51.8 and 26:55.9, respectively, with Xander Fackler crossing the line in 27:11.9 to complete Indiana State's entries in the championship race.
 
Indiana State also fielded entries in the men's and women's open races, with five Sycamores competing across the two races. All three Sycamore entries in the women's open race placed in the top 70, led by Robyn Schemel's top-50 showing of 23:11.5. Hallie Mimbela followed in 23:55.3, while Kamilla Gibson's time of 24:08.1 closed out the Sycamore contingent. Jcim Grant and Parker Mimbela both finished in the top 100 in the men's open race with times of 27:19.1 and 28:10.1, respectively.
 
No. 8 Northern Arizona claimed the women's championship race title with 61 points, while No. 9 Stanford won the women's open race title with 18 points. No. 9 BYU claimed the men's championship race crown with 71 points and also won the men's open race with 35 points.
 
Eastern Kentucky's Brighter Jepchumba won the women's championship race with a LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course record time of 19:14.0. Florida's Kelvin Cheruiyot claimed the men's championship race title with a time of 23:20.7. Stanford's Julia Flynn won the wone's open race at 21:02.6, with BYU's Malachi Schoenherr winning the men's open race in 25:31.8.
 
Indiana State Results (Men's 8K/Women's 6K)
WOMEN: 18th of 28 teams (60-75-97-135-146-(158)-(169)) – 513 points
62. Brittney Burak – 21:22.1
78. Hadley Gradolf – 21:34.1
103. Halle Miller – 21:58.4
145. Peyton Smith – 22:30.9
160. Eve Schurr – 22:42.1
174. Gnister Grant – 22:58.8
189. Lily Rollings – 23:16.6
190. Katy Green – 23:19.4
211. Emersyn Bland – 24:09.4
 
Open Race Entries
43. Robyn Schemel – 23:11.5
63. Hallie Mimbela – 23:55.3
70. Kamilla Gibson – 24:08.1
 
MEN: 29th of 34 teams (138-173-176-184-186-(190)-(195)) – 857 points
145. Emerson Fayman – 25:27.2
195. Chris Angeles – 26:23.7
198. Ryan Handy – 26:24.9
207. Andrew Straley – 26:41.7
209. Henry McMurry – 26:43.5
214. Ryan York – 26:51.8
219. Brandon Mueller – 26:55.9
225. Xander Fackler – 27:11.7
 
Open Race Entries
64. Jcim Grant – 27:19.1
83. Parker Mimbela – 28:10.1
Alex Alvarez - DNF
 
Up Next
Indiana State splits its squad for a pair of meets on October 2, with the Sycamores competing in the Joe Piane Invitational and Nike XC Town Twilight.
 
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.