The Valparaiso University cross country season is off and running after the Beacons hosted their annual home meet, the Winrow Open, on Friday evening at Sunset Hill Farm County Park in Valparaiso. The top showing of the day came courtesy of senior Evan Walda (Fort Wayne, Ind. / South Side), who placed third overall and second among those who counted toward team scoring despite racing in a competitive field that included instate foes Purdue and Notre Dame.

How It Happened

• Walda stopped the clock in 18:04.6 in the men’s 6K race, finishing behind only a pair of Notre Dame runners, Gabe Hinrichs and Kevin Sanchez. Hinrichs won the race in 17:59.5. Sanchez, who ran unattached, finished second in 18:03.6.
• Another veteran was the second Beacon to cross the finish line as senior Simeon Ehm placed 14^th by finishing with a time of 18:31.5.
• Freshman Karson Hollander (Lakewood, Ill. / Crystal Lake) had a solid showing in his collegiate debut, placing 16^th in 18:53.5.
• Sophomore Joseph Scheele (Mahomet, Ill. / Mahomet-Seymour) at 19:17.9 and freshman Noah Meacham (Tulsa, Okla. / Broken Arrow) at 19:24.6 rounded out the team’s top five on the men’s side.
• The Valpo women were led by freshman Lauren Wroza (Rochester, Mich. / Rochester), who finished 13^th (10^th among scorers) with a 5K time of 18:53.2.
• Wroza was followed by Grace Aurand (Highland, Ind. / Highland), who finished 20^th overall at 19:04.2.
• The team’s top five on the women’s side was rounded out by Joely Overstreet (Genoa, Ill. / Genoa-Kingston) at 19:20.4, Vivian Rahmel (Springfield, Ill. / Sacred Heart-Griffin) at 19:28.3 and Ellie Roeglin (Delafield, Wis. / Lake County Lutheran) at 19:54.9.
• Notre Dame won the women’s meet, while Purdue took the team title on the men’s side.
• This represented the 34^th running of Valpo’s home meet.

Up Next

Valpo will compete in the Redbird Invite hosted by Illinois State. on Friday, Sept. 15.