Women Seventh; Men Eighth at BIG EAST Cross Country Championships

SOMERS, Wis. -- The Creighton women placed seventh and the men were eighth at the 2019 BIG EAST Cross Country Championships, presented by Jeep, on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Both teams battled chilly, 40 degree weather, as snow in the area from earlier in the week turned to slushy, soft and muddy conditions on the Wayne Dannehl Cross Country Course.

As she has for every meet in her collegiate career, Danielle Hotalling was the top finisher for the Bluejay women. She took 18th in the meet with a clocking of 22:36.3 to turn in the best performance by a Bluejay at the league championship since Emily Martin placed 11th in 2017. Hotalling's 18th place finish was also good enough to garner the Missouri native Second Team All-BIG EAST honors.

Sophomore Marguerite Hendrickson was CU's second-fastest runner, finishing in a time of 23:31.2 to take 34th place. That put her just ahead of junior Caroline Pass (41st; 23:45.3). Rounding out CU's scorers were junior Katie Fukushima (48th; 24:11.6) and freshman Ashley Riley (60th; 25:12.3).

Senior Haley Fye (64th; 25:23.7), junior Amy Leasure (69th; 25:53.9), freshman Elizabeth Kettler (85th; 26:22.5) and freshman Kate Cox (89th; 27:33.6) rounded out the CU performers.

Villanova's Lydia Olivere won the 6K women's race, which featured 10 teams and 91 competitors, in 21:29.5. That was fast enough for the Wildcat sophomore to edge Xavier's Anna Kostarellis (21:39.8). Butler won the team title with 52 points, nine fewer than defending champion Villanova. CU's seventh place showing was one spot better than its finish a year ago.

Even though top runner Chase Howard redshirted this fall, the Creighton men finished eighth for a second straight year. Six of CU's top seven runners in the meet were freshmen or sophomores, and it was a pair of freshmen that led the way..

Michael Buckley placed 40th in a time of 27:40.2, just ahead of classmate Danny Bohnemann (43rd; 27:49.3). Another newcomer, sophomore John Quigley, placed 45th as he crossed the finish line in a time of 27:52.5 in his first BIG EAST Championship.

Rounding out CU's team score were senior Nick Monkemeyer (48th; 27:58.6) and freshman Micah Navarro (51st; 28:17.0).

Sophomores Aidan King (56th; 28:31.9), Boston Small (59th; 29:33.5), Jack Stamper (84th; 30:15.2) and Bryce Shirley (87th; 30:57.5) as well as junior Max Wehrle (82nd; 29:55.2) also competed for the Bluejays. Monkemeyer and Small each improved their 2018 BIG EAST finish by nine spots, and King upped his performance by 20 spots from a year ago at the same event.

Butler senior Euan Makepeace outpaced the field of nine teams and 88 competitors to win the 8K race in a time of 25:03.9, nearly 35 seconds than his next closest competitor Nathan Rodriguez (25:38.7) of Villanova. Villanova had four of the top eight finishers to win the team title with 36 points, six points ahead of runner-up Georgetown.

Both Bluejay programs continue their season on the morning of Nov. 15 at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Stillwater, Okla.

Women Seventh; Men Eighth at BIG EAST Cross Country Championships

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Danny Bohnemann

Michael Buckley

Kate Cox

Katie Fukushima

Haley Fye

Marguerite Hendrickson

Danielle Hotalling

Chase Howard

Liz Kettler

Aidan King

Amy Leasure

Nick Monkemeyer

Micah Navarro

Caroline Pass

John Quigley

Ashley Riley

Bryce Shirley

Boston Small

Max Wehrle