Cross Country | 10/2/2026 9:42:00 PM

Powell, Ohio – Taking on multiple conference opponents, the Oberlin College cross country team finished with 13 personal records, one season best, and one collegiate debut at the Ohio Wesleyan Invitational on Friday evening. 

The men's team kicked things off with a fifth-place team finish out of 14 teams. Beating Wittenberg, Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan, and Wooster, the Crimson and Gold finished as the top team from the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). The women's team also secured a fifth-place team finish, beating NCAC rivals Wittenberg and Wooster. 

"It was very exciting that both teams placed fifth. I was especially thrilled with how the women's team raced. We have not beaten Wittenberg since 2021. A lot of breakthrough performances and very strong training these past few weeks made that possible," Head Coach Izzy Alexander adds. "It was great that Will and Char both finished inside the top 10. We are very excited for the meets to come!"

Will Gordon kicked things off for Oberlin in the men's race, notching an 8k personal best of 25:52.4 and placing eighth overall. Cooper Tanski snagged another personal record for Oberlin, crossing the line in 26:09.8 and placing 14th. Piers Shirk ran a season-best 26:30.4, finishing 21st, while first-year Kaed Egan snagged a personal best of 27:29.1 to finish 57th. First-year Michael Hutnick followed close behind, clocking in a time of 27:34.0 to earn a narrow PR to round out the top five, as classmate Ben Burleson earned a personal best of 28:20.8 to place 101st. 

Daniel Beyda finished in a time of 29:03.1, placing 128th, while Samuel Mortensen recorded a time of 30:27.2 to finish 169th. Luke Wozek ran his collegiate debut, navigating the 8k course in 32:01.7 and placing 184th, while Simon Swai followed just behind, posting a time of 32:31.5 to finish 186th and round out the Crimson and Gold men's team.

Leading the women's team, the duo of Char Purcell and Samantha Soto finished back-to-back, registering personal bests of 23:04.2 and 23:05.7 to place 10th and 11th, respectively. Just 10 seconds behind, Lieke Everts ran to a personal record of 23:15.4 and placed 15th overall. Mirabel Adams carried the record-breaking momentum, snagging a PR of 23:58.4 and finishing 39th, while Solana Pearl rounded out Oberlin's top five with a personal best of 24:15.7 to place 43rd. 

Elis Leppik finished as the Crimson and Gold's top rookie, recording a time of 24:59.1 and posting a 54th-place finish. Sofia Picucci improved her personal best by 33 seconds, delivering a time of 27:12.8, as classmate Zoe Engel followed close behind with a time of 27:19.0, with almost a 40-second PR. Rounding out the field for Oberlin, June Essinger improved her personal best by over a minute, clocking a time of 27:34.6.

The Crimson and Gold return to action in two weeks when they host the Oberlin Inter-Regional Rumble on Saturday, October 17. The women's 6,000m varsity race kicks off at 10:30 a.m., followed by the men's 8,000m varsity race at 11:15 a.m. The women's 6,000m open begins at 12 p.m., while the men's 8,000m open race closes the day at 12:45 p.m.

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