Graceland University Women's Cross Country Finishes 12th at Larry Young Invitational

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Graceland University women's cross country team competed in the Larry Young Invitational on Saturday at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course, hosted by Columbia College. The Yellowjackets placed 12th out of 19 teams, posting a total team time of 1:51:33 with an average mile split of 22:18. The event featured a competitive field of teams from across the region, with Graceland demonstrating resilience and determination throughout the race.

Senior Jordyn Fischer led the way for the Yellowjackets, finishing 53rd overall with a time of 21:14.6, averaging a 6:50.2 mile. Fischer maintained a steady pace on the challenging Gans Creek course, which featured a mix of open terrain and rolling hills. Following closely behind was sophomore Mickenzie Fisher, who crossed the finish line in 57th place with a time of 21:28.4, running a 6:54.6 mile.

Sophomore Alissa Caruso was the next Yellowjacket to cross the line, finishing 77th with a time of 22:09.5. Freshman Cameron Sharp, competing in her first collegiate season, secured a 99th-place finish with a time of 23:18.4, while fellow freshman Sierra Davenport placed 101st, clocking in at 23:23.0.

Junior Ella Gerlach rounded out Graceland's scoring runners, finishing in 105th place with a time of 23:34.0. Her performance, along with that of Graceland's other scoring runners, helped the team earn a total of 334 points for their 12th-place finish.

Graceland faced stiff competition from several nationally ranked teams at the Larry Young Invitational. The Master's University dominated the meet, finishing first overall with a total team time of 1:32:56 and an average time of 18:35 per runner. Huntington University finished second with 93 points, while Mount Mercy University took third with 100 points. Graceland's total of 334 points placed them ahead of teams such as Park University and Missouri Running Club.

Despite their mid-pack finish, the Yellowjackets showed solid effort throughout the race. Head Coach Tom Shore praised his team's effort but acknowledged there is room for improvement. "This was a strong field, and we knew coming in that it would be a tough race," Shore said. "Jordyn [Fischer] and Mickenzie [Fisher] ran well and continue to set the pace for our team. Our freshmen showed a lot of promise, but we need to tighten up our pack and finish closer together if we want to be more competitive."

Shore also highlighted the importance of pack running and improving time gaps between runners. "Alissa [Caruso] and Ella [Gerlach] contributed solid performances today, but we've got to bring our top five finishers closer together. We'll take what we learned from this meet and focus on improving as we prepare for conference competition."

Graceland's performance at the Larry Young Invitational provided valuable experience as they continue to build toward the heart of their season. With their next meet on the horizon, the Yellowjackets are focused on improving their pack running and reducing the time gap between their top five finishers.

"This race gave us a clear picture of where we are and where we need to be," Shore said. "We've got the talent, and we're building the endurance. The goal is to peak at the right time, and we'll keep working toward that in the coming weeks."

Graceland will next compete at the Indian Hills Invite run at Cedar Creek Golf Course in Ottumwa, Iowa on October 11th where they hope to build on their performance at Gans Creek and making strides towards the conference run in November.

to build on their performance at Gans Creek and making strides towards the conference run in November.

Graceland Individual Results