Rio Grande junior Tyler Jenkins took top honors individually and led the RedStorm men to the championship of Friday's Thundering Herd XC Invitational in Huntington, W.Va.

Posted: Aug 30, 2024

Jenkins, RedStorm men win Marshall Invite

Rio Grande Sports Information
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The University of Rio Grande men's cross country team got its 2024 season off to an outstanding start, topping the entire field - including rival Shawnee State University - in Friday evening's Thundering Herd XC Invitational hosted by Marshall University.
The RedStorm, who were ranked 25th in the NAIA preseason coaches' Top 25 poll, had four of the top 10 scoring finishers and tallied 41 points, posting a 16-point win over the event host. The other NCAA Division I participant, Morehead State University, was just behind MU in third place with 60 points.
Shawnee State, which has enjoyed a great of success against Rio in recent years, finished fourth with 69 points. The Bears were ranked 20th in the preseason poll.
Junior Tyler Jenkins (Zanesville, OH) easily took top honors individually, finishing the 5k course in a time of 15:10 - nearly 15 seconds quicker than Shawnee State's Isaiah Lanoy.
Also representing the RedStorm in he 67-runner field was senior Danuel Persinger (Glouster, OH), who was sixth in a time of 15:33; freshman Wes Taylor (Lancaster, OH), who was 10th after crossing in 15:48; sophomore Kasy Science (Marietta, OH), who was 11th in a time of 15:49; senior Kyle Lightner (Peebles, OH), who was 18th in 15:55; freshman John Young (Madison, OH), who placed 19th with a mark of 15:58; sophomore Ashton Beverly (Chillicothe, OH), who was 21st with a time of 16:08; junior Mugisha Pomossene (Cincinnati, OH), who finished 22nd in a time of 16:17.53; freshman Anton Meinlschmidt (Eckental, Germany), who placed 23rd after crossing in 16:17.84; freshman Ryder Crawford (Batavia, OH), who was 24th in a time of 16:19; sophomore JJ Larue (Chillicothe, OH), who crossed in 42nd place with a time of 17:13; freshman David van Kuik (Utretch, MS), who was 45th after finishing in 17:20; freshman Eli Fliehman (Sabina, OH), who was 48th in a time of 17:23; freshman Jacob Faught (Georgetown, OH), who placed 54th with a mark of 17:48; freshman Caleb Hines (Chillicothe, OH), who finished 61st in a time of 18:40; and freshman Wyatt Webb (Gallipolis, OH), who was 67th after crossing in 23:36.
Rio Grande is slated to return to action next Friday at the Indiana Wesleyan University Twilight in Marion, Ind.