TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Purdue cross country team earned its second win in as many races to begin the season with a first-place finish at the John McNichols Invitational on Saturday, September 16, in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The Boilermaker men were victorious two weeks after they won the Winrow Valparaiso Open on September 1. The team was led by junior Nathan Walker, who was crowned the individual champion in the 8k race at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.
In the women's 5k, the Boilermakers placed fourth overall and were led by senior Payne Turney, who was seventh overall.
The men earned 45 points to claim the win and best Belmont (55 points) and Indiana (68). The women had 85 points to finish fourth, as Belmont (60), Indiana (69) and Kansas State (70) took the top three spots. Twenty-three teams competed at the Indiana State-hosted meet.
The men's team won is its third John McNichols title in the last six years, as the Boilermakers also were winners in 2018 and 2021.
Walker crossed the finish line first overall in the 8k in 24:14.0. A strong final push led him to a win by 3.9 seconds over the top IU finisher. Sophomore Douglas Buckeridge was fourth overall in 24:20.7, less than one second ahead of senior teammate Caleb Williams' fifth-place finish of 24:21.4.
Junior Jason Polydoris crossed the finish line in 24:36.5 to place 15th, and fellow junior Brady Yoder was 20th in 24:39.4. To round out Purdue's scorers, senior Alex Frey was 23rd in 24:41.5 and senior Geno Christofanelli was 24th in 24:43.4 to earn the top-25 finish by more than three seconds.
Payne paced the women with a 5k time of 17:37.1 to finish seventh overall. Senior Caroline Jordan was 11th in 17:47.0, just 0.01 seconds ahead of the 12th-place finisher. Sophomore Christel Elkins and freshman Paige Hazelrigg were 17th and 18th, respectively, in 17:54.2 and 18:05.0.
Freshman Kylie Graf crossed the finish line in 32nd in 18:23.5, and fellow first-year Sofia Munoz was 35th with a time of 18:28.0. Junior Jaelyn Burgos posted a mark of 18:28.9 to finish 37th and earn Purdue's final point-scoring spot.
Also for the men, grad student Nathaniel Getachew was 44th in 25:02, fellow grad student Ian Hunter was 51st in 25:13.7, freshman Quintin Lowe was 85th in 25:49.6 and freshman Jaryn Weinel finished in 107th in 26:13.7.
Additionally for the women, freshman Julia Economou was 56th in 18:50.5, freshman Elise Peckinpaugh was 82nd in 19:14.4 and sophomore Olivia Phillips was 99th in 19:30.8.
Up next, the month of September will conclude at the Live in Lou Classic on September 30 in Louisville, Kentucky.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Boilermaker men were victorious two weeks after they won the Winrow Valparaiso Open on September 1. The team was led by junior Nathan Walker, who was crowned the individual champion in the 8k race at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.
In the women's 5k, the Boilermakers placed fourth overall and were led by senior Payne Turney, who was seventh overall.
The men earned 45 points to claim the win and best Belmont (55 points) and Indiana (68). The women had 85 points to finish fourth, as Belmont (60), Indiana (69) and Kansas State (70) took the top three spots. Twenty-three teams competed at the Indiana State-hosted meet.
The men's team won is its third John McNichols title in the last six years, as the Boilermakers also were winners in 2018 and 2021.
Walker crossed the finish line first overall in the 8k in 24:14.0. A strong final push led him to a win by 3.9 seconds over the top IU finisher. Sophomore Douglas Buckeridge was fourth overall in 24:20.7, less than one second ahead of senior teammate Caleb Williams' fifth-place finish of 24:21.4.
Junior Jason Polydoris crossed the finish line in 24:36.5 to place 15th, and fellow junior Brady Yoder was 20th in 24:39.4. To round out Purdue's scorers, senior Alex Frey was 23rd in 24:41.5 and senior Geno Christofanelli was 24th in 24:43.4 to earn the top-25 finish by more than three seconds.
Payne paced the women with a 5k time of 17:37.1 to finish seventh overall. Senior Caroline Jordan was 11th in 17:47.0, just 0.01 seconds ahead of the 12th-place finisher. Sophomore Christel Elkins and freshman Paige Hazelrigg were 17th and 18th, respectively, in 17:54.2 and 18:05.0.
Freshman Kylie Graf crossed the finish line in 32nd in 18:23.5, and fellow first-year Sofia Munoz was 35th with a time of 18:28.0. Junior Jaelyn Burgos posted a mark of 18:28.9 to finish 37th and earn Purdue's final point-scoring spot.
Also for the men, grad student Nathaniel Getachew was 44th in 25:02, fellow grad student Ian Hunter was 51st in 25:13.7, freshman Quintin Lowe was 85th in 25:49.6 and freshman Jaryn Weinel finished in 107th in 26:13.7.
Additionally for the women, freshman Julia Economou was 56th in 18:50.5, freshman Elise Peckinpaugh was 82nd in 19:14.4 and sophomore Olivia Phillips was 99th in 19:30.8.
Up next, the month of September will conclude at the Live in Lou Classic on September 30 in Louisville, Kentucky.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.