Friday, September 29
Chicago, IL
11 AM
Wisconsin Badgers
at
Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational
Photo by: Suvir Grover
Badgers earn third place finish at Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational
September 29, 2023 | Women's Cross Country
Leane Willemse leads Badgers with a top-10 finish
CHICAGO – Leane Willemse led the 17th-ranked Wisconsin women's cross country team to a third-place showing at the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational scoring 94 points on Friday morning in Chicago.
Willemse was the first Badger to cross the finish line, covering the 6 kilometer course in 20 minutes, 5.3 seconds, moving up 13 spots over the last three kilometers. This was a personal best time for the junior who ran her previous best time last season at the Big Ten Championships. Alexa Westley also captured herself a top-15 finish coming in 13th covering the course in 20:10.6.
Graduate Student Vivian Hacker was the third Badger to finish with a 21st-place showing in 20:21.5 and Danielle Orie followed closely behind Hacker coming in 23rd in 20:24.9. Samantha Stieve rounded out scoring for the Badgers finishing 47th in 20:51.3.
Four other Badgers crossed the finish line Kylie Finger, Madison Mooney, Maggie Munson, and Peyton Sippy placing 49th, 56th, 62nd and 88th, respectively.
Mya Bunke leads UW to second place in Gold Division Race
Wisconsin finished second in the gold division race with three Badgers securing top-20 spots. Junior Mya Bunke took first among the Badgers, with a ninth place showing in 21:21.4. Emma Watcke quickly followed Bunke with her 14th-place finish in 21:30.6. Isabella Jacobsen was the third Badger to cross the line in 21:39.5 to earn 17th place.
Senior Ashley Peterson helped the Badgers to a top-five finish placing 24th, running the course in 21:48.6. Erinn Hill and Annika Elliott covered the course in 21:50.0 and 22:28.5, respectively.
Graduate student Maya Rayle competed unattached for the Badgers going on to win the race with a personal best time of 20:30.1.
Straight from the Course
Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne:
"It was fun competing today in Chicago along Lake Michigan. It almost felt like a home meet and both teams ran very well. The women continue to improve and I'm excited see them continue to improve in October. I like where they are right now."
Leane Willemse:
"It was a good first race of the season. It was fun packing up. Our goal was to be a bit conservative and work as a team through the field. I stayed patient and just focused on working up lap by lap and finishing strong. I am excited about where we are as a team and I am looking forward to the rest of the season."
Up Next:
The Badgers will host the highly anticipated Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Presented by Under Armour on Oct. 13. Racing at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course will begin at 11 a.m. and fans that can't make it to Madison can watch the meet live on Runnerspace.
Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational
Sept. 29, 2023
Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course
6K Race
Tom Cooney Championship Race Results:
Gold Division Race Results:
Willemse was the first Badger to cross the finish line, covering the 6 kilometer course in 20 minutes, 5.3 seconds, moving up 13 spots over the last three kilometers. This was a personal best time for the junior who ran her previous best time last season at the Big Ten Championships. Alexa Westley also captured herself a top-15 finish coming in 13th covering the course in 20:10.6.
Graduate Student Vivian Hacker was the third Badger to finish with a 21st-place showing in 20:21.5 and Danielle Orie followed closely behind Hacker coming in 23rd in 20:24.9. Samantha Stieve rounded out scoring for the Badgers finishing 47th in 20:51.3.
Four other Badgers crossed the finish line Kylie Finger, Madison Mooney, Maggie Munson, and Peyton Sippy placing 49th, 56th, 62nd and 88th, respectively.
Mya Bunke leads UW to second place in Gold Division Race
Wisconsin finished second in the gold division race with three Badgers securing top-20 spots. Junior Mya Bunke took first among the Badgers, with a ninth place showing in 21:21.4. Emma Watcke quickly followed Bunke with her 14th-place finish in 21:30.6. Isabella Jacobsen was the third Badger to cross the line in 21:39.5 to earn 17th place.
Senior Ashley Peterson helped the Badgers to a top-five finish placing 24th, running the course in 21:48.6. Erinn Hill and Annika Elliott covered the course in 21:50.0 and 22:28.5, respectively.
Graduate student Maya Rayle competed unattached for the Badgers going on to win the race with a personal best time of 20:30.1.
Straight from the Course
Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne:
"It was fun competing today in Chicago along Lake Michigan. It almost felt like a home meet and both teams ran very well. The women continue to improve and I'm excited see them continue to improve in October. I like where they are right now."
Leane Willemse:
"It was a good first race of the season. It was fun packing up. Our goal was to be a bit conservative and work as a team through the field. I stayed patient and just focused on working up lap by lap and finishing strong. I am excited about where we are as a team and I am looking forward to the rest of the season."
Up Next:
The Badgers will host the highly anticipated Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Presented by Under Armour on Oct. 13. Racing at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course will begin at 11 a.m. and fans that can't make it to Madison can watch the meet live on Runnerspace.
Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational
Sept. 29, 2023
Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course
6K Race
Tom Cooney Championship Race Results:
| Team Results |
| 1. Furman | 58 |
| 2. Ole Miss | 66 |
| 3. Wisconsin | 94 |
| 4. Lipscomb | 117 |
| 5. Gonzaga | 129 |
| 6. Ohio State | 165 |
| 7. Michigan | 170 |
| 8. Northwestern | 191 |
| 9. Toledo | 255 |
| 10. Ohio | 303 |
| Top 10 Individuals |
| 1. Rosina Machu | Gonzaga | 19:20.3 |
| 2. Addie Engel | Ohio State | 19:44.9 |
| 3. Loral Helmers | Ole Miss | 19:53.0 |
| 4. Ryann Helmer | Ole Miss | 19:55.7 |
| 5. Lydia Miller | Lipscomb | 19:59.8 |
| 6. Carly Wikes | Furman | 20:00.7 |
| 7. Kaylie Armitag | Furman | 20:02.2 |
| 8. Danielle Santos | Ohio State | 20:02.4 |
| 9. Kayla Windemuller | Michigan | 20:03.3 |
| 10. Leane Willemse | Wisconsin | 20:05.3 |
| Other Wisconsin Finishers |
| 13. Alexa Westley | 20:10.6 PR |
| 21. Vivian Hacker | 20:21.5 |
| 23. Danielle Orie | 20:24.9 PR |
| 27. Victoria Heiligenthal | 20:29.1 |
| 47. Samantha Stieve | 20:51.3 |
| 49. Kylie Finger | 20:56.1 PR |
| 56. Madison Mooney | 21:02.6 PR |
| 62. Maggie Munson | 21:07.3 PR |
| 88. Peyton Sippy | 21:35.5 |
Gold Division Race Results:
| Team Results |
| 1. Iona | 39 |
| 2. Wisconsin | 72 |
| 3. Michigan | 83 |
| 4. Illinois State | 95 |
| 5. Northwestern | 116 |
| 6. Saint Louis | 134 |
| 7. Ohio State | 157 |
| 8. Ball State | 175 |
| 9. Loyola | 228 |
| 10. North Central | 277 |
| Top 10 Individuals |
| 1. Maya Rayle | UNA-Wisconsin | 20:30.1 PR |
| 2. Claire Fuhlhage | Illinois State | 20:45.1 |
| 3. Holly Smith | Iona | 20:54.0 |
| 4. Laura Nicholson | Toledo | 21:07.0 |
| 5. Danielle Page | Michigan | 21:10.3 |
| 6. Tayla Gunton | Iona | 21:13.3 |
| 7. Madison Klein | Iona | 21:14.0 |
| 8. Sophia Pelligreen | Saint Louis | 21:17.1 |
| 9. Mya Bunke | Wisconsin | 21:21.4 |
| 10. Mattison Plummer | Illinois State | 21:28.3 |
| Other Wisconsin Finishers |
| 14. Emma Watcke | 21:30.6 |
| 17. Isabella Jacobsen | 21:39.5 |
| 24. Ashley Peterson | 21:48.6 |
| 25. Erinn Hill | 21:50.0 |
| 26. Myra Stray (UNA) | 21:52.1 |
| 27. Zaira Malloy-Salgado (UNA) | 21:57.1 |
| 44. Annika Elliott | 22:28.5 |
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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