The Valparaiso University men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in the program’s first Missouri Valley Conference Championships, which were hosted by Missouri State on Saturday afternoon. The Crusaders were led by seniors Sidney Noble (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) and Kim Heiny (Burnettsville, Ind./Twin Lakes) in the 8K and 5K races. Both squads defeated Evansville at the meet.  

How It Happened

• Noble tallied his fastest time in an 8K this season, crossing the line in 26:43.19 to finish first for Valpo. He achieved the team’s only Top 50 placing.
• Freshman Dominic Paoletti ( Monroe, Mich./Monroe St. Mary) had a season-best mark in the race as well, clipping eight seconds off his previous best for a time of 27:19.03.
• Three additional Crusader runners finished under 28 minutes – freshman Joey Black (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon), sophomore Victor Fortin (East Peoria, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) and junior Ben Zibricky (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central).
• Juniors Tyler Grimes (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) and Connor Hickey (Peru, Ill./LaSalle-Peru) and freshman Nate Izewski (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) rounded out the runners for Valpo.
• Heiny led the Brown and Gold for the fifth time this season, crossing the line in 19:10.90. The team captain trimmed five seconds off her time from the season-opening 5K at the Crusader Open.
• Sophomore Katherine Germann (Cincinnati, Ohio/Finneytown) added to her impressive season for the team, compiling her best time in a 5K this year, finishing in 19:34.15.
• Valpo had three more times under 21 minutes, all coming from underclassman. Sophomores Kate Mitchell (Algonquin, Ill./Huntley) and Nicole Berneche (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) were followed freshman Sarah Caesar (Fox River Grove, Ill./Cary-Grove) in the race.
• Freshman Ana Neal (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville), sophomore Celia McGhiey (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) and freshman Olivia Recker (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) received the final placings for the Crusaders at the Championships.

Next Up

Valpo takes a week off from competition to gear up for the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Friday, Nov. 10. The event is hosted in Terre Haute by Indiana State, with the meet slated to being at 10:15 a.m. CT at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.