SHELBYVILLE, Ind. — The IU Kokomo men's cross country team turned in a strong performance Friday at the Crimson Pride Invitational, finishing second among five teams in the men's 8K race.
The Cougars totaled 60 points and a combined time of 2:16:12, finishing behind fellow River States Conference member IU East, which claimed the team title with 16 points.
Senior Drew Lovelace led the way for IU Kokomo, earning a sixth-place finish with a personal-best time of 26:22.8. The performance moved Lovelace into fifth on the program's all-time 8K performer list, while his time ranks as the seventh-fastest in program history.
Daylen Schrock followed with an 11th-place showing, crossing the finish line in 26:56.9 to give the Cougars two runners among the top 11.
Aden Pierce, Charlie Conkle and Ayden Potts rounded out IU Kokomo's scoring five, finishing within 15 seconds of one another. Pierce placed 20th in a personal-best 27:32.2, Conkle followed in 21st with a personal-best 27:33.1, and Potts crossed the line in 22nd with a time of 27:47.1.
Steven Case and Rudy Bowman completed the Cougars' top seven, finishing 23rd and 26th, respectively.
In total, seven Cougars recorded personal-best times Friday, with Ian Dockery, Avery Condo, Benjamin Wallace and Magnus Thorstenson joining Lovelace, Pierce and Conkle in setting new career marks.
"The men ran very well despite not having our No. 1 runner from our last meet," said head coach Josh Colvin. "They responded well and stuck to the plan we had for them. Drew Lovelace has put himself in a position as one of our best runners ever and a shot at nationals in November. This was our first 8K of the year, so it was good for our veterans to knock some rust off at that distance and for our newcomers to experience it for the first time."
Men's Team Results
- IU East – 16 points
- IU Kokomo – 60 points
- Northern Kentucky – 87 points
- Hanover – 90 points
- IU Columbus – 135 points
IU Kokomo Individual Results (8K)
The Cougars will return to action Friday night, Oct. 2, at the Nike XC Town Twilight Invitational, held at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana.
For the latest news, updates and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, X and Instagram.
