Cummings Leads Cross Country at Greater Louisville Classic

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - With a career-fast 5K time of 18:15.37, sophomore Hannah Cummings led the Ball State cross country team to the finish line of Saturday's 16th Annual Louisville Sports Commission Cross Country Classic at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky.

It marks the second straight week Cummings has led the Cardinals to the finish line, as she also paced the team at last weekend's RedHawk Rumble (Sept. 23) with a career-fast 6K effort. Overall, Cummings has finished as Ball State's first or second runner in all four meets she has competed in this season.

Sophomore Maritza Rodriguez also turned in a strong performance in Saturday's race, placing second on the squad with a time of 18:33.13. Finishing third for the Cardinals was freshman Cayla Eckenroth with a clocking of 18:40.60. Like Cummings, both Rodriguez and Eckenroth have led a race for the Cardinals this season and finished in Ball State's top three in all four meets they have competed in.

Rounding out Ball State's five scored runners at the Greater Louisville Classic were sophomore Brooke Talhelm in 18:47.46 and redshirt sophomore Stephanie McElhaney in 18:51:49.

Also running for the Cardinals Saturday were senior Jessica Bryzek with a time of 19:10.95 and freshman Emmalyne Tarsa with a career-fast 5K mark of 19:14.60.

Overall, Ball State's five scored runners combined for 859 points and an average time of 18:37.61 to place 31st among the 37 NCAA Division I programs in the field. Leading the way were No. 13 Boise State (78 points) and No. 18 Wisconsin (105).

After five consecutive weeks on the course, the Ball State cross country team will take a week off before returning to action at the Bradly Pink Classic on Oct. 13. The meet will serve as the team's final tune-up before the 2017 Mid-American Conference Championship which will be run on the Miami University Cross Country Course in Oxford, Ohio, on Oct. 28.

For the most up-to-date news on Ball State cross country, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateTFXC.

Ball State's Individual Results at the 5K Greater Louisville Classic

Place (Scored)	Runner	Time (5K)
141st (132nd)	Hannah Cummings	18:15.37*
180th (163rd)	Maritza Rodriguez	18:33.13
195th (178th)	Cayla Eckenroth	18:40.60
214th (191st)	Brooke Talhelm	18:47.46
220th (195th)	Stephanie McElhaney	18:51.49
264th (226th)	Jessica Bryzek	19:10.95
269th (229th)	Emmalyne Tarsa	19:14.60*

* denotes career-best 5K time

- BallStateSports.com -

Cummings Leads Cross Country at Greater Louisville Classic

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Players Mentioned

Jessica Bryzek

Hannah Cummings

Cayla Eckenroth

Stephanie McElhaney

Maritza Rodriguez

Brooke Talhelm

Emmalyne Tarsa