Carbondale Reporter

The Southern Illinois University men's and women's cross-country teams are set to compete at the SEMO RedHawks XC Invite on Friday, August 29th, at the Osage Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The men's 5K race is scheduled to start at 6:15 pm, followed by the women's 5K at 6:45 pm.

The men's team includes four returning runners and three incoming freshmen:

- Freshmen: Ben Chance, Will Foltz, Owen Morgan

- Junior: Westen Jokerst

- Seniors: Josh Delgado, Vincent Van Eck

- Graduate: Uriah Guthrie

The women's team features five returning runners, four freshmen, and one graduate transfer:

- Freshmen: Kyla Engel, Rae Kawalec, Riley Linville, Ally Niedfeldt

- Sophomores: Brodie Denny, Hannah Meiser

- Junior: Audrey Boles

- Seniors: Ansley Bailey, Brianna Nieset

- Graduate transfer: Hannah Eastman

Hannah Eastman transferred from SEMO and will be competing for the Salukis for the first time. She was named the 2023 OVC Female Athlete of the Year and earned First Team All OVC Honors.

In the 2024 MVC preseason coaches poll, the men's cross-country team received 72 points, placing them sixth out of eleven teams. The women's team received 89 points, placing them eighth out of twelve teams.

The Salukis will participate in four meets before the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Championships. After kicking off with the SEMO RedHawks XC Invite on Friday, they will compete at Bradley on September 20th, Missouri on September 27th, and Bradley again on October 18th. The MVC Championships will take place at the University of Northern Iowa on November 1st. The NCAA Midwest Regional is scheduled for November 15th at Bradley.

Live results can be found online.

For updates on the Salukis' progress throughout the season, follow them on X (@SIUTrackXC), Instagram (@SIUTrackXC), and Facebook (@SalukiTrackAndField).