CROWDER LEADS ISU WOMEN TO THIRD PLACE FINISH, MEN PLACE SIXTH
PEORIA, Ill. -- Senior Jessica Crowder ran a personal best 5K time of 17:56 to lead the Indiana State women’s cross country team to a third place finish at the Bradley Invitational on Friday evening.
Junior Aaron Harding paced the men to a sixth place finish as he came in at 19th with a time of 25:46.
Crowder, who finished fifth overall, led a group of six Sycamores that came in under 19 minutes. Freshman Malie Venable finished 16th with a time of 18:16, while fellow freshman Dani Prince placed 28th with a time of 18:36. Sophomores Jenel Darland (18:45) and Sarah Jarvis (18:51) came in next in 33rd and 39th place. Junior Carolyn Chase completed the six members under 19 minutes with a mark of 18:58 (45th).
“It was a great race by Jessica Crowder,” said ISU women’s coach John Gartland. “We had a pair of freshman (Venable and Prince) who also ran excellent and had great debuts.”
The Sycamore women, who finished tied for third with Illinois State with 115 points, were beaten only by Missouri (41 points) and Marquette (48 points). In the national preseason poll, Missouri was ranked 17th and Marquette was 27th.
“I’m pleased where we are right now,” Gartland said.
After Harding on the men’s side, the next six Sycamores finished within 48 seconds of each other. Junior Dustin Strosnider (26:01), sophomore Jordan Fife (26:12), sophomore John Nay (26:13), senior Josh Kendall (26:25), freshman Josh Rogers (26:47) and junior Craig Dismore (26:49) all ran together in a plan that backfired according to coach Joe Catania.
“It was a controlled race,” said Catania. “The plan was to run together and it backfired because we were too far back and had too much left at the end. It just didn’t happen today.”
The Sycamores will compete in the Indiana Intercollegiates Meet, which will be held at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course next Friday.
NOTES: Catania is coaching the men’s team while head coach John McNichols recovers from surgery. As of 1:15 p.m. this afternoon, McNichols was released from Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and on his way home.