MEMPHIS, Tenn. (3/15/24) – A handful of distance runners took to the oval for the Arkansas State track and field teams on Friday night, competing at the Rhodes Invitational in Memphis.

A total of 18 athletes competed in the men’s and women’s 5000-meter races, totaling six top-10 finishers across the two events.

The evening began with the women’s 5000, in which Cadence Lapp placed a team-best fourth with a time of 17:38.18. Jaybe Shufelberger finished in sixth, crossing in 17:41.44, with Abbey Coberly in eighth with a mark of 17:47.20.

Delaney Mulick (18:20.28) and Mary Beth Bailey (18:27.55) placed 14^th and 16^th, respectively, while Maggie Hunter ran a career-best 18:40.08 to place 21^st. Lizzee Winkler (18:57.40) and Anna Hunter (19:06.84) placed 26^th and 27^th, with Maddie Haldiman following in a 29^th-place time of 19:10.80. Olivia Walter finished in 19:24.99 to place 32^nd and Hannah McLaughlin was 35^th in 19:28.44. Sophey Pope rounded out the group in 38^th, clocking a personal-best 19:37.78.

Cash Kunkel led the men with a sixth-place finish, crossing the line in 14:56.15. Nati Enright placed ninth with a time of 14:56.55, just ahead of Rylan Brown in ninth place (14:56.91). Ryan Parson was 13^th (15:10.13) while Zeke McCain ran a collegiate-best 15:32.53. Freshman Benny Brenneman placed 31^st with a time of 15:52.17.

NEXT UP

A-State returns to action in a pair of meets next Thursday through Saturday. Some Red Wolves will compete in the Alumni Bulldog Relays (Thursday-Saturday) in Starkville, Miss., while others will take part in the Ole Miss Classic (Friday-Saturday) in Oxford, Miss.

SOCIAL MEDIA

For the latest on the A-State track and field and cross country programs, follow @AStateTrack on Twitter and @AStateTFXC on Instagram, while also liking the team’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateTrackAndField.