XC Notebook: Hawkeye Invite

THIS WEEK

University of Iowa cross country opens its season with the annual Hawkeye Invitational on Friday night at the Ashton Cross Country Course in Iowa City. The women’s 4,000-meter race kicks off competition at 6:00 p.m., with the men’s 6,000-meter race to follow. Joining Iowa for the meet are Drake and Iowa Central. Admission is free.

SEASON WRAP UP

The Hawkeyes finished the 2024 season strong, performing well at the Bradley Pink Classic, where the men placed third and the women finished 10th. The team also had consistent results at the Gans Creek Classic, with the women placing 12th out of 38 teams and the men finishing 13th out of 35 teams. Freshman Elena Torres had an impressive year, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors twice. The men finished 13th overall at the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Midwest Regional. The women’s team placed 16th and 17th, respectively, at those meets.

WOMEN’S TOP RUNNERS

Miriam Sandeen was the leading runner for Iowa in the 2024 regular season. The senior from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, returns as Iowa’s top finisher in the Hawkeye Invite, Big Ten Preview, Bradley Pink Classic, B1G Championships and NCAA Midwest Regionals. Sophomore Elena Torres finished as Iowa’s top runner at the Gans Creek Classic and enters the 2025 campaign as Iowa’s Women’s Big Ten Runner to Watch. Senior Rowan Boulter combined to score in all of Iowa’s 2024 regular season races. Seven total upperclassmen lead the Iowa women.

MEN’S TOP RUNNERS

Iowa returns its top seven scorers from 2024. Seniors Will Ryan, Brayden Burnett and Carson Houg were Iowa’s consistent point scorers a season ago. Junior Miles Wilson was a consistent top-five runner for Iowa in every meet for the 2024 season and returns as Iowa’s representative as the Men’s Big Ten Runner to Watch. Upperclassmen Carson Houg, Luke Knepp and Hayden Kuhn add depth and experience to the 2025 roster. Sophomores Armaan Chopra, Ethan Eichhorn and Kyle Montgomery look to break towards the top of the pack during the 2025 campaign.

HAWKEYE NEWCOMERS

This season, Iowa welcomes four newcomers to the 2025 roster. Freshmen Owen Wolfe, Spencer Alf and Elias Arbuckle join the men’s team this fall. The women’s team added one new freshman in Emma Magallan. These four look to have just as big of an impact as last year’s newcomers. Last season, Iowa relied on several newcomers. On the women’s side, Elena Torres was recognized twice as Big Ten Freshman of the Week, earning the honor for her performances at the Big Ten Preview and Gans Creek Classic. She was also named Iowa’s September Woman Athlete of the Month. Additionally, Marissa Long and Hillary Trainor placed among Iowa’s top five runners in the team’s first two races. The men’s team also saw strong performances from its then-freshmen. Kyle Montgomery and Ethan Eichhorn were key contributors, finishing among Iowa’s top five at multiple meets. Montgomery excelled at the Hawkeye Invite, Gans Creek Classic, and Bradley Pink Classic, while Eichhorn secured top-five finishes at the Hawkeye Invite, Big Ten Preview and Bradley Pink Classic.

LOCAL FOCUS

Of the 24 athletes on the Hawkeyes’ cross country team, 15 hail from the state of Iowa. Cameron Kalaway and Audra Soderlind come to the Hawkeye State from Illinois. Two Hawkeyes - Marissa Long and Miriam Sandeen - are Minnesota natives. Spencer Alf (Wisconsin), Armaan Chopra (Virginia), Ella Magallan (Texas), Kyle Montgomery (Indiana) and Elena Torres (Colorado) represent their respective states in 2025.

HAWKEYE INVITE 2024

The University of Iowa cross country team kicked off its 2024 season at the Hawkeye Invite at the Ashton Cross Country Course. The women took second with 39 points in the 4,000-meter race and the men got third with 79 points in the 6,000-meter race. The women finished the evening with three top-10 finishes. Miriam Sandeen and Rowan Boutler both set personal records in 14:20.4 and 14:41.5, respectively.

LINK UP WITH THE HAWKEYES

For an inside look at the Iowa cross country program and to access exclusive coverage, “like” The University of Iowa Cross Country and Track & Field Facebook page and follow the Hawkeyes on X (@IowaXC_TF) and Instagram (@iowaxctf). Follow live results at hawkeyesports.com/tracklive.

UP NEXT

After a weekend off, the Hawkeyes return to action at the Roy Griak Invite in Minneapolis on Sept. 19. Races begin at 10:00 a.m. (CT).