Youngstown State University
RMU Colonial Invitational
Burgos Leads the Way as Penguins Open 2026 Season at RMU
9/11/2026 1:50:00 PM | Cross Country
The Youngstown State cross country team opened its 2026 season Friday morning on a muddy Youthtowne cross country course at the RMU Colonial Invitational.
The women kicked off the campaign in the 6K race, led by Erica Kaulen, who placed sixth in her first collegiate race with a time of 22:09.77.
Caleigh Richards followed close behind with an eighth-place finish, crossing the finish line in 22:09.77. Maggie Hopple was the next Penguin finisher, posting a time of 23:16.42 to place 17th. Brady Sterbling finished 23rd in her first collegiate race with a time of 23:51.85.
Cecelia Chase rounded out the team's scoring effort with a personal-best time of 24:07.30 to finish 28th.
Megan Stafford and Linsey Plant had back-to-back finishes, placing 32nd and 33rd, respectively. Julia Wheeler was not far behind in her debut, finishing 36th with a time of 24:28.52.
Claire Von Boetticher, competing in her first 6K race, placed 44th with a time of 24:48.10. Lillian Katsaras finished 48th (24:52.36), Lauren Runion placed 66th (25:24.87), and Olivia Komperda, competing in her first race for the Penguins, posted an 87th-place finish (26:06.90).
The Penguin women finished fourth in the 11-team field with 80 points. West Virginia won the invitational with a team total of 36 points.
Patrick Burgos continued his success from the 2025 season, pacing the Penguins with a first-place finish. Burgos led the field of 139 runners with an 8K time of 26:18.16.
Blaze Fichter, Connor Shingleton and Owen Scott, in his collegiate debut, finished 12th, 13th and 14th, respectively.
Josh Jones rounded out the Penguins' scoring effort with a time of 27:38.91 to finish 25th.
Caleb Prettyman followed closely behind with a time of 27:44.40 to record his first Penguin finish in 27th.
Brock Farris finished 56th with a time of 28:41.01. A pack of Penguins crossed the finish line next, with Zac Haley and Sage Vavro leading Blake Baker and MJ Pottinger to finishes between 62nd and 65th.
Ethan Cope and Thomas Hunyadi had back-to-back finishes with times of 28:55.80 and 28:59.92, respectively. Lone freshman Maddox Roach was next to finish in 29:06.97.
Owen Brady, Jacob Puhalla and Justin Sahli rounded out the team's efforts.
The men finished second in the 10-team field with 64 points. Carnegie Mellon won the invitational with a team score of 38 points.
The Penguins are back in action Sept. 26 when they host the YSU Collegiate Invitational. The team's lone home meet will be held at the Gorby Family Cross Country Course.
