NORMAL, Ill. – SIUE men's and women's cross country teams returned to action on Friday evening at the Illinois State Redbird Invite.

The men placed sixth in the 8K event while the women placed eighth in the 6K run.

Men-8K

Leading the pack for the men in the 8K race was Spencer Hielkema who placed 20th overall with a 25 minute and 46 second time. Hielkema's finish marked a personal career-best 8K time.

Tyler Guthrie (26:18/36th) and Zach Walters (26:52/43rd) also posted career-best times. Rounding out the men were Blake Panagos (27:06/48th), Cameron Woodard (27:08/50th), and Jackson Edwards (27:19/54th).

Women-6K

Kaitlyn Walker finished 32nd and was the Cougar's top runner in the 6K race in 23 minutes and 23 seconds.

Chessy Nikonowicz posted a career-best time in the 6K run in 24 minutes and 20 seconds (50th).

Alexis Fischer (25:01/50th), Olivia Wolf (25:40/72nd), Courtney Anthonies (25:42/73rd), Alexis Edgar (26:44/76th), Ana Keller (26:49/77th), Gabby Wood (27:13/78th), Natalia Rodriguez (27:36/79th), Kylie Eversgerd (27:49/80th), and Peyton Tieffel (28:18/81st) rounded out the women.

Up Next

The men and women cross country teams will travel to Columbia, Missouri for the Gans Creek Classic on Friday, September 30th.