The Valparaiso University men's and women's cross country teams rewrote the program's all-time top-10 lists as part of a stellar season-opening meet at the Roy Griak Invite, hosted by the University of Minnesota in Fort Snelling, Minn. on Friday. Six runners posted all-time top-10 times in program history – two women and four men. The meet also marked a return to the old stomping grounds of Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Vincent Walker, who served as an assistant coach for the Golden Gophers before taking over Valpo's program.
 
How It Happened

• Sophomore Samantha Rowley (Barrington, Ill. / Barrington) led the way in the women's 6k race, improving her personal best from last season with a time of 20:52.2 that now ranked second in program history. Rowley, who finished 26^th of 240 in the competitive race, turned in the fastest 6k by a Valpo woman since Laura Rolf's 2006 record of 20:45.35.
• Sophomore Joey Yaros (Bloomington, Ill. / Normal Community) placed 18^th of 212 in the men's 8k with a time of 24:20.6 that ranks third in program history. The top four times in the program record book have now all come during the Walker Era as Yaros is behind only Joseph Scheele (2024) and Karson Hollander (2025) and just ahead of Evan Walda (2023).
• Yaros was followed by a trio of tightly-packed Beacons as Valpo took 40^th, 41^st and 42^nd in the race with junior Tim Jochum (Glen Ellyn, Ill. / Glenbard South), sophomore Braden Hoff (New Lenox, Ill. / Lincoln-Way Central) and freshman Nick Dul (New Lenox, Ill. / Lincoln-Way West) crossing the line in that order.
• The top four Valpo men all achieved places in the program record book, as Jochum, Hoff and Dul now rank eighth through 10^th in program history.
• Jochum (24:53.1) and Hoff (24:54.1) both set PRs, while Dul (24:54.4) cracked the program's all-time top 10 in his collegiate debut.
• In the women's race, Rowley was followed by redshirt junior Laetitia Raoult (Guingamp, France / Florida International), whose previous PR ranks third in program history behind Rolf and Rowley. Raoult finished 45^th with a time of 21:16.0.
• The second Beacon woman to enter the program record book in Friday's race was redshirt senior Alina Worzella (Martinsville, Ind. / Martinsville). Her PR of 21:56.5 ranks sixth in program history.
• Like Dul on the men's side, the women received a standout debut performance. Freshman Kelly O'Connor (Kankakee, Ill. / Herscher) stopped the clock in 22:18.0, narrowly outside of cracking the program record book.  
• As a team, the women finished ninth of 17 and the men placed seventh of 18.

Men's 8k New All-Time Top 10
RUNNER DATE EVENT TIME
1. Joseph Scheele 11/1/24 MVC Champ. 24:04.8
2. Karson Hollander 10/17/25 Bradley Pink Classic 24:19.76
3. Joey Yaros 9/18/26 Roy Griak Invite 24:20.6
4. Evan Walda 10/13/23 Bradley Pink Classic 24:22.9
5. Alexander Bruno 10/27/2018 MVC Champ. 24:23
6. Ignacio Veloz-Bonilla 10/14/22 Bradley Pink Classic 24:39.1
7. Simeon Ehm 10/14/22 Bradley Pink Classic 24:48.3
8. Tim Jochum 9/18/26 Roy Griak Invite 24:53.1
9. Braden Hoff 9/18/26 Roy Griak Invite 24:54.1
10. Nick Dul 9/18/26 Roy Griak Invite 24:54.4
 
Women's 6k New All-Time Top 10
RUNNER DATE EVENT TIME
1. Laura Rolf 10/28/2006 Mid-Con Champ. 20:45.35
2. Samantha Rowley 9/18/2026 Roy Griak Invitational 20:52.2
3. Laëtitia Raoult 11/15/2024 NCAA Regional 20:59.6
4. Jessica Richardson 10/17/2014 Bradley Classic 21:12.4
5. Vivian Rahmel 11/1/2024 MVC Champ. 21:47.3
6. Alina Worzella 9/18/2026 Roy Griak Invitational 21:56.5
7. Liz Bloy 11/1/2014 HL Championship 21:57
8. Samantha Rowley10/17/2025 Brad. Pink Class. 21:57.13
9. Ashley Billstrom 10/14/2006 Pre-Nationals 22:09.9
10. Kensington Black11/15/2024 NCAA Regional 22:12.7
 
Up Next
The Beacons will return to action on Friday, Oct. 2 at the Notre Dame Joe Piane Invite.