LEBANON, Ill. – For the first time since 2018, McKendree University women's cross country hosted a meet on campus as the Bearcats hosted the McKendree Bearcat XC Classic here Friday afternoon at the former Hills Golf Club at McKendree.
 
The Bearcats welcomed nine men's and women's teams to a former 18-hole golf course to compete in just the third-ever home cross country meet since the early 2000's held by the Bearcats on its home cross country course.
 
McKendree finished its own meet in sixth place out of seven scoring teams at the 5K race. The Bearcats scored 159 points to finish 24 points ahead of seventh place Kaskaskia College (183 points) and 20 points behind fifth place Health Sciences and Pharmacy (159 points).
 
Leading the way for the Bearcats in Friday's first home event since the Gary White Dual on Aug. 30, 2018 was freshman Lacey Laxton (Coal Valley, Ill./Geneseo), who ran the 5K course in a time of 21:31.00. Laxton was the top finisher for the Bearcats in a meet for the first time this season.
 
Southeast Missouri State had five of the Top 6 finishers as they scored a total of 18 points to win by 33 points over runner-up Missouri Baptist, who scored 51 points. Maryville was third with 91 points and UMSL was fourth with 97 points.
 
Hannah Eastman was the top finisher at the event as she recorded a 5K time of 18:41.29, while her teammate, Taylor Fox, was second with a 5K time of 18:55.99 and Missouri Baptist's Mai Reed was third with a 5K time of 19:05.63.
 
The Bearcats contingent of six runners averaged a time of 22:27:07 overall at the event.

Freshman Sophia Paschal (Godfrey, Ill./Alton), who was the top finisher for the Bearcats at its first two meets this season, ran the 5K course in a time of 21:51.91 to finish in 34th place overall.
 
Sophomore Reagan Lucas (Freeburg, Ill./Freeburg) placed 36th overall with a 5K time of 22:07.39, while freshman Tori King (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) was the fifth runner that counted towards the team score as she ran the 5K course in a time of 23:12.95.
 
Freshman Azia Douglas (Cahokia Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) placed in 52nd place with a 5K time of 23:30.07 and freshman Colleen Zinke (Maryville, Ill./Collinsville) was the final finisher for the Bearcats as she ran a 5K time of 25:45.14 to place in 60th place.
 
McKendree will return to the course next Friday, Sept. 23 as they host the McKendree Bearcat XC Classic, which will be held on the McKendree XC Course in Lebanon, Ill.McKendree will now take two weeks off before returning to action on Friday, Oct. 7 at the Border War XC Championships, which will be held at the Principia North Farm XC Course in Elsah, Ill. The Principia North Farm XC Course will host the 2022 Great Lakes Valley Championships on Saturday, Nov. 5, which is being hosted by McKendree University.