Springfield, Ill. – Truman State Cross Country began its 2025 season Friday at the Prairie Stars Invitational hosted by the University of Illinois Springfield. The Bulldog women turned in a runner-up team finish, while the men placed third overall in a competitive early-season field.

Women's Race (5K)
The Bulldogs showcased depth with six runners inside the top fifteen to claim second place with thirty-six points, trailing only host Illinois Springfield. Sophomore Carmen Gentilia paced the squad with a fifth-place finish in 18:54, closely followed by senior McKenna Ledgerwood in sixth at 18:58. Sophomore Phoebe Canatsey (seventh, 19:04) and freshman Anna Ripley (eighth, 19:05) ran stride-for-stride to secure crucial scoring positions.

Sophomore Clare Stahr rounded out the scoring lineup in tenth at 19:08, giving Truman a tight pack split. Freshman Anna Drochelman crossed in twelfth, while juniors Kendra Zeilstra and Ellie Webb, along with sophomores Sarah Williams and Kate Doyle, also finished in the top twenty to highlight the team's depth.

Men's Race (7K)
The Bulldog men earned a third-place finish with eighty points, led by a strong top-three pack. Junior Nolan Meara placed eleventh overall in 22:36, followed by junior Gavin Hill in fourteenth (22:47) and senior Jacob Gutzman in fifteenth (22:52). Freshman Jacob Snyder (twenty-seventh, 23:12) and sophomore Andrew Kuntz (thirty-fourth, 23:31) completed the scoring five.

Juniors Brycen Compton and Daniel Hahn, along with freshmen Evan Wilke and Logan Ghormley, provided key displacement points as Truman put ten runners under twenty-four minutes.

Up Next
The Bulldogs return to action on Friday, September 19, when they travel to Peoria, Illinois for the Bradley Invitational.