Youngstown State University
YSU Collegiate Invitational
Penguins Return Home for Lone Meet of 2026
9/24/2026 12:00:00 PM | Cross Country
The Youngstown State men's and women's cross country teams will play host to the YSU Collegiate Invitational this Saturday for its lone home meet of the 2026 campaign at the Gorby Family Championship Cross Country Course. The women will start things off with a 6K race beginning at 9 a.m., with the men to follow at approximately 9:45 a.m. for the 8K race.
Women's Preview
The women's team will have 17 Penguins competing at the invitational. Kenzy Beckett, Brenna Bosley, Sophia Brill, Breanna Joki and Karis McElhaney will all open their 2026 campaigns this weekend, with Bosley and Brill making their collegiate debuts. Cecelia Chase, Maggie Hopple, Lillian Katsaras, Erica Kaulen, Olivia Komperda, Linsey Plant, Caleigh Richards, Lauren Runion, Megan Stafford, Brady Sterbling, Claire von Boetticher and Julia Wheeler, who all competed at the RMU Invitational, are expected to race again on Saturday.
Men's Preview
Blake Baker, Thomas Hunyadi, MJ Pottinger, Jacob Puhalla, Maddox Roach and Justin Sahli return to the course for their second-consecutive race of the season, while Tyce Shaner and Trenton Shutters will make their season debuts to round out the eight-man roster.
Last Time Out
The Penguins opened their 2026 season on Sept. 11 at the Colonial Invite, where the men recorded a runner-up team finish out of a 10-team field and the women came in fourth out of 11 teams. Patrick Burgos won the men's race and led the field of 139 runners with an 8K time of 26:18.16. For his efforts, he was named the Horizon League Runner of the Week for the second time in his Penguins career. Kaulen paced the women's side with a sixth-place finish in her collegiate debut. Her 6K time of 22:09.77 led all Horizon League freshmen in the field. For her efforts, she swept the league's weekly women's awards, being named the Under Armour #HLXC Women's Runner and Freshman of the Week. Both recognitions were firsts for Kaulen.
The Course
The third annual YSU Collegiate Invitational will be held at the Gorby Family Cross Country Course. The course debuted during the inaugural YSU Alumni Cross Country Meet on Sept. 21, 2024. In 2025, new course records were set by Burgos and McKinley Fielding. Burgos won the race with a course-record 8K time of 25:18.7, while Fielding finished first individually with a time of 17:35.5 to set the course 5K record.
The Brian, Charlotte, Jersey, Beau Gorby Family Championship Cross Country Course at MetroParks Farm
Address: 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Rd., Canfield, OH 44406
Note: Spectator parking is $10 at the Canfield Fairgrounds through Gate No. 9.
Post-Race Festivities
After the conclusion of the men's race, the program will recognize its 2025 Horizon League Championship men's and women's teams, with each runner being recognized with their championship ring. The teams will also recognize the 10-year anniversary of the 2016 men's championship team.
The Field
Allegheny (M/W)
Chatham (W)
Cuyahoga Community College (W)
Flagship City Track Club (M)
Geneva (M/W)
Hiram (M/W)
Penn State Shenango (M/W)
PSU-Beaver (M)
Robert Morris (M/W)
Waynesburg (M/W)
Westminster (M/W)
Wheeling (M/W)
Thiel (M/W)
Youngstown State (M/W)
