The Butler men's Cross-Country team didn't waste time picking up their first win of the season as they captured the 2020 Ollie Isom Invitational championship while the women finished third place in the first event of the season.

"Being the first meet of the year you never really know exactly how your team will respond, especially with all the other outside factors we have had going on in our lives with the pandemic but I was really proud with them today," commented head coach Dustin Mettler. "I thought everyone competed hard and they showed that they have grit."

In the newly created 8000-meter course, Obadia Tanui and Tarik Xavier crossed the finish line in 4^th and 5^th place running 24:22.27 and 24:29.85. Sophomore Juan Tovar finished 10^th running the 8K in 27:20.77. Freshman Daniel Bitchell competed will in his first collegiate race of his career finishing 14^th out of 54 runners in the field. Birchell ran a 27:32.58. Issa Amfa ran a 27:55.73 finishing in 21^st place while Luis Manqueros came in 29^th overall running a 28:45.85.

"I was really impressed with how the men stepped up and stayed engaged the entire race," said Mettler.

The women were unable to defend their title from a season ago as they finished 3^rd place in the first race of the season.

"The ladies went out too conservative to start the race," commented Mettler. "They started to pick it up throughout the race but just ran out of time and real estate at the end."

Zadie St. Louis led the way for Butler coming in 3^rd place in the race running a 20:09.40 5000-meter. Sylvia Korir was the second highest placer for Butler coming in 14^th with a 21:26.46. Sophomore Stephany Lechuga finished 18^th running a 21:53.20 while freshman Emily Hankins followed closely behind in her first collegiate race running a 22:14.92 and finishing 23^rd place. Leyni Gomez finished 32^nd with a time of 23:51.92 while Ann Dangha came in 36^th place with a time of 27:34.05.

"It was the first meet of the season and I am proud of how both teams competed," said Mettler. "Moving forward, we are going to have to be more aggressive at the start of the race and stay engaged the entire time. It is early and I know there is a lot of potential for this team and I am looking forward to the rest of the season."

The Grizzlies will be back in action this coming Saturday, September 19 at the Muthama-Rogers Cross Country Invite hosted by Bethel College in Newton, KS. The women will start that morning with a 10:00am race time followed by the men's race.

MEET RESULTS