The Youngstown State men's and women's cross-country programs will make the trip to Fort Wayne, Ind. this weekend for the 2025 Horizon League Cross Country Championships with history on their minds.
Race Info:
Mastodon Cross Country Course
1807 E California Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46825
Admission: $10/vehicle
Men's Preview
The men's 8K championship race is slated to begin at 11 a.m..
The 12 men competing for Youngstown State are: Owen Brady, Patrick Burgos, Ethan Cope, Brock Farris, Blaze Fichter, Beau Gorby, Zac Haley, Thomas Hunyadi, Josh Jones, Tobias Jones, Connor Shingleton, and Sage Vavro.
Burgos currently has the second-fastest 8K time of any Horizon League runner at 23:38.9, eight seconds slower than Noah Janke of Green Bay (23:30.4). Owen Brady currently has the third-fastest 8K time of 23:49.3.
Burgos led the Penguin men last time out at the Pre-National Invitational in Columbia, Mo., placing 63rd with a time of 24:18.9, followed closely by Tobias Jones, who finished 68th with a time of 24:20.9. Owen Brady finished 103rd individually with a time of 24:47.2, followed closely by Sage Vavro, who placed 119th with a time of 24:56.3. Ethan Cope finished in 156th-place with a time of 25:15.4, while Blaze Fichter (171st - 25:27.7) and Brock Farris (180th – 25:31.9) were the alternate scorers for YSU. The other two Penguins who finished inside the top 200 were Josh Jones, who finished 182nd (25:33.9), and Connor Shingleton, who placed 197th (25:42.0). Beau Gorby finished 207th with a time of 25:48.5, Thomas Hunyadi placed 241st with a time of 26:38.4, and Zac Haley placed 242nd with a time of 26:39.2 to round out the Penguin men.
Women's Preview
The women's 6K championship race will begin at approximately Noon.
The 12 women competing for Youngstown State are: Kenzy Beckett, McKinley Fielding, Carly Hall, Maggie Hopple, Molly Hopple, Lillian Katsaras, Karis McElhaney, Linsey Plant, Jenna Razavi, Caleigh Richards, Lauren Runion, and Megan Stafford.
Fielding currently has the fastest 6K time of any Horizon League runner this season at 20:42.8, which is currently the second-fastest time. Other Penguins that currently rank in the top 10 include Jenna Razavi (fifth- 21:31.9) and Caleigh Richards (ninth- 21:47.1).
Fielding led the Penguin women during their last race at the Pre-National Invitational in Columbia, Mo., clocking her season-best 6K time of 20:42.8, which was just two seconds slower than her program-record time of 20:40, set last season at the Arturo Barrios Invitational on Oct. 18, 2024. Jenna Razavi followed Fielding with a placement of 152nd, clocking a time of 21:31.9. Caleigh Richards also placed inside the top 200 for YSU, finishing 185th with a time of 21:47.1. Lillian Katsaras and Maggie Hopple finished close together, as Katsaras crossed the line in 22:24.8, finishing in 258th place, while Hopple clocked a time of 22:26.1, good enough for a 260th-place finish. Kenzy Beckett and Megan Stafford were the other two Penguins who would've alternately scored, as Beckett finished in 291st with a time of 22:49.1, and Stafford placed 293rd with a time of 22:51.4. Carly Hall finished 305th (23:08.4), Karis McElhaney placed 311th (23:14.1), Lauren Runion finished in 312th-place (23:14.9), Molly Hopple placed 325th (23:33.5), and Linsey Plant rounded out the Penguin women with a time of 23:51.4, placing 331st.
Penguin Men Going For Fourth-Straight Title
The Youngstown State men could enter rare territory this weekend, as they are looking for their fourth-straight Horizon League title.
If completed, YSU would become just the third program in conference history to win at-least four-consecutive championships, joining Notre Dame (1988-1994) and Butler (2002-2011).
YSU XC Championship History
Team Titles:
The Youngstown State men enter the weekend with five conference titles, the fourth most of any school in conference history, but the most of any current Horizon League program.
Men's XC Team Titles: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2018, 2016
The Youngstown State women enter this weekend with two conference titles, which is tied for the third-most of any current Horizon League program.
Women's XC Team Titles: 2014, 2013
Individual Titles:
The Penguin men have won five individual conference titles, including the last two years, when Hunter Christopher became the first YSU runner and seventh in conference history to win multiple conference titles.
The Penguin women have won one individual Horizon League title, achieved by Morgan Cole in 2021.
Second Trip This Fall to Fort Wayne
This weekend's trip will mark the second time during the 2025 campaign that YSU will race at the Mastodon Cross Country Course, as the Penguins opened up the season in Fort Wayne on Sept. 6.
The season-opening races were a great way for the Penguins to get acclimated with the course, as both the men and women ran in packs during their races, with the men finishing third as a team, and the women placing fourth.
Up Next
The Penguins postseason march will continue at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships on Fri, Nov. 14, at the Angel Mounds Cross Country Course in Evansville, Ind.
For live updates and results throughout the 2025 season, follow @YSUTrackFieldXC on X.
