The University of Louisville cross country teams kicked off their 2024 season at the Southern Showcase on Friday morning, highlighted by impressive individual performances and top-five finishes.
The Louisville women’s team achieved their best finish at an invitational since 2020, securing second place with a total of 68 points. The squad saw 11 runners break the 18-minute mark in the 5K race, showcasing their depth and speed.
Layla Roebke led the Cardinals with a fourth-place finish, completing the 5K in 16:40.00. This marked the highest individual finish for a Louisville woman at an invitational since Purity Sanga’s victory at the Blazer Classic in 2020. Nancy Chepleting made a strong debut, finishing fifth with a time of 16:50.46.
Sophomore Maddie Seaby had a standout performance, crossing the line 18th with a time of 17:13.31, nearly 50 seconds faster than her season-opening 5K time from the previous year. Rylee Penn finished 22nd in 17:15.70, and Julia Schmitt, in her first collegiate meet, placed 24th with a time of 17:17.94.
The men’s team finished sixth with 164 points, led by Ian Kibiwot, who returned from injury to claim second place with an 8K time of 23:33.05. This was the highest individual finish for a Louisville male since Kibiwot’s back-to-back second-place finishes at the Covered Bridge Open and John McNichols Invitational to start the 2022 season.
Newcomer Geoffrey Kirwa made a strong debut, finishing 16th with a time of 24:23.56. The final three scorers for Louisville finished in close succession: Lucas Reguinho in 48th with a time of 24:55.59, Ethan Meyer in 52nd at 24:58.80, and Innocent Ntwali in 55th with a time of 24:59.44.
The Cardinals will next compete in two events: the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational in Chicago, Ill., on October 4, and the Live in Lou Classic at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky., on October 5.
Southern Showcase
September 13, 2024
Huntsville, Ala. | John Hunt Park
* = Scoring Five
DNF = Did Not Finish
Men’s 8K
* Ian Kibiwot – 23:33.05
* Geoffrey Kirwa – 24:23.56
* Lucas Reguinho – 24:55.60
* Ethan Meyer – 24:58.80
* Innocent Ntwali – 24:59.44
Gustav Bendsen – 25:02.96
Jack Stansell – 25:15.05
Josiah Hortin – 25:27.62
Gavin Rockwell – 25:41.16
Chip Smith – 26:08.73
Ryan Farrell – 26:16.42
Mateo Mendez – 26:23.65
Spenser Wolf – DNF
Women’s 5K
* Layla Roebke – 16:40.00
* Nancy Chepleting – 16:50.46
* Maddie Seaby – 17:13.31
* Rylee Penn – 17:15.70
* Julia Schmitt – 17:17.94
Lucinda Rourke – 17:19.87
Heidi Meade – 17:33.65
Haley Meade – 17:33.71
Lexie Paszkiewicz – 17:44.88
Lexi Raquet – 17:54.13
Olivia Alessandrini – 17:57.31
Brooke Lahee – 18:12.08
Ellie Maurer – DNF
