The Youngstown State men's and women's cross country programs began their 2024 campaigns Friday evening at the 55^th annual Tommy Evans Invitational at Silver Creek Park Cross Country Course in Norton, Ohio.

McKinley Fielding had a very impressive Penguins cross country debut in the 5K, as she led the Youngstown State female runners with a sixth-place finish overall out of 116 runners, clocking in at 18:08.8.

Freshman Caleigh Richards was the next Penguin to cross the line, placing 24^th overall with a time of 18:40.7 in her Penguin debut. Another freshman, Megan Stafford, placed 54^th with a time of 19:41.0, and junior Molly Hopple crossed the line shortly after with a time of 19:53.5, taking home a 59^th overall place finish. Molly Yasnowski completed her first collegiate race at 20:08.9, good enough for a 64th-place finish.

Caylee Mackey was the next Penguin to cross the line in 76^th place with a time of 20:26.6. Cecilia Chase and Aiamaya Dudley finished closely together, placing 83^rd and 88^th, respectively. Linsey Plant and Lauren Runion rounded out the Penguin lady runners, as they crossed the finish line with individual placements of 98^th and 108^th, respectively.

As a team, the women finished with 156 points for sixth place. Toledo earned the team victory while Ohio State placed second.

In the men's 6K, senior Tobias Jones led the way as seven Penguins placed in the top 50. Tobias clocked in a time of 18:45.7, good enough for a 14^th-place finish.

Redshirt sophomore Connor Shingleton was the next Penguin to cross the finish line with a time of 19:13.7, as he placed 25^th overall. Keegan Barnette ran a time of 19:20.6 as he crossed the line in 30^th place. Shortly behind him were Joshua Jones and Thomas Hunyadi, as Jones crossed the line in 34^th place with a time of 19:25.1, and Hunyadi placed 39^th overall with a time of 19:28.2.

Beau Gorby and Riley Jackson rounded out the top-50 finishers for the Penguin men, as Gorby clocked a time of 19:37.5, crossing the line in 44^th place, and Jackson rounding out the top-50 with a time of 19:48.3.

Zac Haley concluded Penguin runners with a time of 19:52.1 en route to a 54^th-place finish.

Overall, the men finished fourth with 110 points. Winning the invitational was Ohio State, followed by Oakland in second.

Select Penguin men's runners will be back in action on September 20 in Minneapolis, Minn. for the Roy Griak Invitational, followed the next morning when both the men's and women's squads will participate in the highly anticipated YSU Inaugural Alumni Cross Country Meet at the Gorby Family Championship Cross Country Course in Canfield.