SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The ninth-ranked Notre Dame men’s cross country team earned a strong team win while the third-ranked women’s cross country team took third at the 2024 Joe Piane Invitational on Friday morning.
WOMEN’S RACE
Overcast and cool conditions lent themselves to fast times across the board in the women’s Blue 5k. The No. 3 ranked women’s team posted a team score of 70 in a tight finish at the top of the scoreboard. Second-ranked Northern Arizona placed first with a 52 while No. 5 BYU placed second with a score of 65.
The Irish women were led by a personal record effort from Siona Chisholm with a time of 16:15.0 for fifth place overall. Emily Covert had a strong debut in a Notre Dame uniform with an eighth place finish in a time of 16.22.5.
Erin Strzelecki cut 15 seconds off of her time from the National Catholic Invitational on the same course two weeks ago with a 16:32.2 for 14th. Gretchen Farley (16:40.8) and Arianne Olson (16:40.8) finished side-by-side to wrap up the team scoring efforts.
Isabel Allori and Mary Bonner Dalton both ran unattached and were right with the lead pack of Irish. Allori ran a 16:42.1 to place 23rd, and Dalton turned in a 16:42.6 to place 24th.
Women’s Race Results (Top Five)
Siona Chisholm – 5th (16:15.0)
Emily Covert – 8th (16:22.5)
Erin Strzelecki – 14th (16:32.2)
Gretchen Farley – 21st (16:40.8)
Arianne Olson – 22nd (16:40.8)
Women’s Blue Race Team Standings (Blue 5k Race)
1. Northern Arizona – 52
2. BYU – 65
3. Notre Dame – 70
4. Liberty – 189
5. Boise State – 204
6. Texas Tech – 236
7. Adams State – 243
8. Wyoming – 261
9. Michigan State – 300
10. Oklahoma – 356
11. Vanderbilt – 373
12. Washington State – 374
13. Bradley – 396
14. Grand Valley State – 409
15. Eastern Michigan – 418
16. California Baptist – 429
17. Belmont – 439
18. Kansas – 445
19. Western Ontario – 446
20. Central Michigan – 453
21. Purdue – 481
22. Mississippi State – 489
MEN’S RACE
The No. 9 ranked men stayed the course and stayed together for a strong pack finish to capture the team title in the Blue 8k. The Irish posted a 55 to take the win over No. 4 Northern Arizona (68).
Ethan Coleman posted his first sub-23 minute 8k for a new personal record while helping to pace the Irish men to the win with a 22:49.0 for eighth place overall.
Joining Coleman with sub-23 minute times were Daelen Ackley (22:51.7), Izaiah Steury (22:52.1), Drew Griffith (22:53.9), and Carter Solomon (22:56.1) as that pack of four all finished in the top 15. Ackley, Steury and Griffith took 10th, 11th, and 12th, respectively, while Solomon closed out the win with a 14th place finish.
CJ Singleton and Sean Kay were the next two Irish runners to cross the finish line in the race. Singleton ran a 23:23.1 to place 36th, and Kay ran a 23:27.5 for 39th in the race.
Men’s Race Results (Top Five)
Ethan Coleman – 8th (22:49.0)
Daelen Ackley – 10th (22:51.7)
Izaiah Steury – 11th (22:52.1)
Drew Griffith – 12th (22:53.9)
Carter Solomon – 14th (22:56.1)
Men’s Team Standings (Blue 8k Race)
1. Notre Dame – 55
2. Northern Arizona – 68
3. California Baptist – 112
4. Wyoming – 150
5. Michigan State – 167
6. Boise State – 194
7. Texas Tech – 224
8. Grand Valley State – 252
9. Adams State – 268
10. Purdue – 270
11. Washington State – 296
12. Cincinnati – 304
13. Belmont – 324
14. Oklahoma – 328
15. Liberty – 360
16. Bradley – 395
17. Miami (Ohio) – 430
18. Youngstown State – 439
19. Appalachian State – 507
OPEN RACES
Addison Knoblauch (17:19.9) and Amaya Aramini (17:26.4) both finished in the top ten as unattached runners in the women’s open 5k race. The men’s side saw the Irish take the top three spots. Tyler Berg (23:08.9) ran unattached and won the men’s open 8k. Robert Cozean (23:19.3) and Kevin Sanchez (23:30.1) took second and third, respectively.
The Irish return to racing on Saturday, October 19 when they compete in the Pre-Nationals race in Madison, Wisconsin.