Men's Red Race |
Women's Red Race |
Men's White Race |
Women's White Race |
PEORIA, Ill. – In the final tune up for many schools prior to conference meets in two weeks, Eastern Illinois took part in the competitive Bradley "Pink" Classic on Friday afternoon in a field that included 19 regionally ranked teams between the men's and women's races.
The Panthers performances were highlighted by a pair of seniors as
Paxson Menard trimmed 14 seconds off his personal best to place at EIU's top men's finisher. On the women's side
Ruth Garippo set the school record at the 6K distance leading the EIU women's runners.
The EIU men, ranked 15th in the most recent USTFCCCA Midwest Regional poll, turned in a second straight strong team performance as they placed fifth in a 27-team race at the 8K distance.
The EIU women raced at the 6K distance and finished in the middle of the pack at 15th with 31 teams competing.
Paxson Menard led the Panthers in the race as the senior trimmed 14 seconds off his personal best time to finish ninth with a time of 24:38.7. Menard was followed by
Riley McInerney in 13th place with a time of 24:49.7.
Tyler Yunk was EIU's third finisher posting a top 30 finish as his time of 25:04.7 placed 29th in the field.
Juan Barajas and
Chris Orlow were the next two EIU scored runners with Barajas placing 67th and Orlow coming in a 83rd. Barajas time was 25:34.3. Orlow had a time of 25:45.6
Greg Rogers and
Marcus Skinner completed the top seven finishers for the Panther men. Rogers crossed in 95th place with a time of 25:57.0. Skinner was 119th with a time of 26:11.6.
Seniors
Ruth Garippo and
Ivy Handley led the women's team with both posting 6K times that ranked in the school's top four times. Garippo set the school record as she placed 21st overall with a time of 21:24.3. She broke the previous mark of 21:30 set by teammate
Emily Brelsfoard in 2014. Handley was 25th in the race with a time of 21:32.3 which ranks fourth all-time at EIU.
Maria Baldwin, who had been the Panthers top finisher in all other meets this year, was EIU's third best runner on the afternoon placing 78th with a time of 22:16.0
Rachel Garippo and
Sadie Elliott were the Panthers final two scored runners with
Julie James and Brelsfoard rounding out the top seven Panthers. Garippo was 135th with a time of 22:51.0. Elliott was 156th with a time of 23:03.0. James was 159th with a time of 23:07.0. Brelsfoard was 196th with a time of 23:36.8.
Saint Louis won the men's overall race with Corey Bellemore of Windsor University the overall winner with a time of 24:16.1
Colorado won the women's overall race with the Buffaloes top runner, Tayler Tuttle, winning individual medalist honors with a time of 20:38.9.
