UKXC Men Fight Through Early Stumbles for 25th at Pre-Nats

Results: Men | Women

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Kentucky men’s team suffered multiple painful falls near the start and had to fight from there for a 25th-place finish at arguably the most competitive regular-season cross country meet in the country on Saturday, the Pre-National Championships Invitational.

Multiple Wildcats including Jacob Thomson, who has consistently been UK’s top runner this year, got caught up in traffic, hit the deck and were hit in the lower body by some spikes in the opening seconds of the race. From there the Wildcats were behind the eight-ball all race.

Spencer Hrycay was UK’s No. 1 finisher, 78th overall in 24:12.70. Thomson fought back for a 123rd-place time of 24:27.60.

Zack Beavin placed 137th in 24:32.70, Ryan Polman placed 151st in 24:39.20 and Kendall Muhammad rounded out UK’s top-five with a 181st place time of 24:47.50.

Kunc strong again
Katy Kunc’s solid season continued on Saturday as she led the way for the Wildcats with a 31st place time of 20:34.50.

Amy Hansen was UK’s No. 2 finisher, 216th overall in 21:47.90. Carolina McCaslin was 226th in 12:55.30, Devynn Miller was 231st in 21:59.20 and Avery Bussjager was 246th in 22:03.60. 

Saturday’s meet concluded the regular-season as the Wildcats will next compete at the Southeastern Conference Championships in College Station, Texas on Oct. 30.