Sophomore Megan Krolak won her first event for SIU Friday, as well as the women taking third overall with all six runners placing in the top 25.

The Saluki cross country team ran its first meet of the season at the Golden Eagle Invitational hosted by Tennessee Tech. The Saluki women’s team placed third overall in their 5k run while the men placed fifth overall in their 6k run.

SIU competed alongside Auburn, Mississippi State, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee State and Western Kentucky.

The women were led by Krolak, who took first in the event with a time of 18:52.6, and senior Claire Darnell who placed sixth with a time of 19:32.9.

Senior Kelly O’Shea finished 15th with a time of 20:29.6. Senior Hillary Merrill finished 17th with a time of 20:47.5.

Freshman Sydney Spranger and sophomore Sasha Lanning rounded off the six-woman squad with a 21st and 23rd finish respectively.

Mississippi State took the women’s meet in overall score with a total of 24 points followed by Auburn (52), Southern Illinois (54), Western Kentucky (113) and Tennessee State (122).

The men were led by redshirt-sophomore Cain Hassim, who placed 15th with a time of 20:20.4 and freshman Jacob Dewitt who placed 20th with a time of 20:29.9.

Senior Jonathan Vara placed 25th with a time of 20:44.3. Freshman Theo Hassim placed 26th with a time of 20:53.1.

Redshirt-junior Josh Maier, sophomore Chris Edwards and freshman Canoy Tyree rounded off the seven-man team with a 32nd, 35th and 36th finish respectively.

Tennessee Tech’s Gilbert Boit took first in the men’s event for the second year straight with a time of 18:52.9.

Auburn took the men’s meet in overall team score with a total of 39 points followed by Tennessee Tech (42), Mississippi State (57), Western Kentucky (92), Southern Illinois (111) and Tennessee State (170).

SIU’s men’s and women’s cross country teams will run again on Friday in St. Louis, Missouri at the Forest Park Festival. Race start is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

Sports reporter Dillon Gilliland can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @DillonGilliland.

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