WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The men were victorious and the women were second as the Purdue cross country team began the season at the Winrow Valparaiso Open in Valparaiso, Indiana, on Friday morning.
With rain looming at Sunset Hill Farm County Park, both the Boilermaker men's and women's teams placed seven individuals in the top 20. The men won the team event for the second consecutive year and the women were runners-up for the second year in a row.
"This was a great start to the season, we competed and fought hard and ran as a team," Purdue head coach Tony Miller said. "Under the conditions we had, they really did well. To see our top seven runners all finish in the top 20 in both races was awesome. The men all ran extremely well up front and together as a pack to win as a team. Our women were second as a team, and they looked so much better than they did last year, which is really encouraging. I enjoyed watching our freshmen and younger runners go out and compete hard with an idea to win, and it shows how bright our future is. I have high expectations for what this team can do, and we are excited to see them build from today's start."
Senior Nathan Walker led the men's team with a runner-up finish on the 6k course, while graduate student Payne Turney was third to pace the women's team in the 5k competition.
As the men's and women's teams each had seven top-20 finishers, the men placed five in the top 11, and two in the top five, and the women recorded three top-10 finishers.
Purdue won the men's team title with 35 points, ahead of Notre Dame (44 points) and UIC (60). The women were second with 48 points, just behind Notre Dame (43) and ahead of Butler (65). The Winrow Open field also included Ball State, Western Michigan, IU Indianapolis and Goshen College.
Friday was the 35th running of Valparaiso's season-opening meet. Since it resumed in 2021 after a one-year hiatus, both Boilermaker squads have placed in the top three every year. The women were victorious in 2021 and the men won in 2023 before this season's repeat.
Walker was second with a 6k time of 18:03.9. He finished 0.4 seconds ahead of the third-place finisher. Sophomore Nerius White was fifth in 18:10.2 as he made his Boilermaker debut, while junior Kiefer Bell was eighth in 18:18.3. Junior Douglas Buckeridge was just behind him in ninth in 18:27.0 and senior Jason Polydoris was 11th in 18:32.8 to round out Purdue's point scorers.
Turney crossed the finish line third overall with a 5k mark of 17:56.9. Senior Jaelyn Burgos was seventh in 18:14.9, followed by freshman Lauren Pegher in 10th. As she made her collegiate debut, Pegher finished in 18:27.8 to claim a top-10 finish by just 0.7 seconds. Fellow freshman Sophia Yon also donned the Old Gold and Black for the first time and was 12th in 18:30.5. Purdue's fifth finisher was graduate student Meredith Bloss, 16th overall in 18:38.3.
Four runners made their Boilermaker or collegiate debuts on Friday. Joining Pegher, White and Yon was sophomore Matthew Helton, who was 28th in 19:34.0 at his first collegiate meet.
Following a weekend off, the Boilermakers travel to Savoy, Illinois, for the Fighting Illini Big Ten Preview on September 13. The meet is hosted by Illinois at the site of the 2024 Big Ten Cross Country Championships, and will give Purdue an early look at the postseason course.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.
With rain looming at Sunset Hill Farm County Park, both the Boilermaker men's and women's teams placed seven individuals in the top 20. The men won the team event for the second consecutive year and the women were runners-up for the second year in a row.
"This was a great start to the season, we competed and fought hard and ran as a team," Purdue head coach Tony Miller said. "Under the conditions we had, they really did well. To see our top seven runners all finish in the top 20 in both races was awesome. The men all ran extremely well up front and together as a pack to win as a team. Our women were second as a team, and they looked so much better than they did last year, which is really encouraging. I enjoyed watching our freshmen and younger runners go out and compete hard with an idea to win, and it shows how bright our future is. I have high expectations for what this team can do, and we are excited to see them build from today's start."
Senior Nathan Walker led the men's team with a runner-up finish on the 6k course, while graduate student Payne Turney was third to pace the women's team in the 5k competition.
As the men's and women's teams each had seven top-20 finishers, the men placed five in the top 11, and two in the top five, and the women recorded three top-10 finishers.
Purdue won the men's team title with 35 points, ahead of Notre Dame (44 points) and UIC (60). The women were second with 48 points, just behind Notre Dame (43) and ahead of Butler (65). The Winrow Open field also included Ball State, Western Michigan, IU Indianapolis and Goshen College.
Friday was the 35th running of Valparaiso's season-opening meet. Since it resumed in 2021 after a one-year hiatus, both Boilermaker squads have placed in the top three every year. The women were victorious in 2021 and the men won in 2023 before this season's repeat.
Walker was second with a 6k time of 18:03.9. He finished 0.4 seconds ahead of the third-place finisher. Sophomore Nerius White was fifth in 18:10.2 as he made his Boilermaker debut, while junior Kiefer Bell was eighth in 18:18.3. Junior Douglas Buckeridge was just behind him in ninth in 18:27.0 and senior Jason Polydoris was 11th in 18:32.8 to round out Purdue's point scorers.
Turney crossed the finish line third overall with a 5k mark of 17:56.9. Senior Jaelyn Burgos was seventh in 18:14.9, followed by freshman Lauren Pegher in 10th. As she made her collegiate debut, Pegher finished in 18:27.8 to claim a top-10 finish by just 0.7 seconds. Fellow freshman Sophia Yon also donned the Old Gold and Black for the first time and was 12th in 18:30.5. Purdue's fifth finisher was graduate student Meredith Bloss, 16th overall in 18:38.3.
Four runners made their Boilermaker or collegiate debuts on Friday. Joining Pegher, White and Yon was sophomore Matthew Helton, who was 28th in 19:34.0 at his first collegiate meet.
Following a weekend off, the Boilermakers travel to Savoy, Illinois, for the Fighting Illini Big Ten Preview on September 13. The meet is hosted by Illinois at the site of the 2024 Big Ten Cross Country Championships, and will give Purdue an early look at the postseason course.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.