Meet the 2023 Cross Country Newcomers

September 27, 2023 | Cross Country

The Cardinals add 24 newcomers while returning 20 athletes from last season’s roster.

By: Sam Gercak

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville cross country team welcomes 24 newcomers to campus for the 2023 season, with 17 joining the women's squad while seven have been added to the men's roster. Each newcomer will also compete for the Cardinals' indoor and outdoor track & field programs during the winter and spring seasons.

The incoming class adds depth to a team that returns 20 athletes from last season's roster. During the 2022 season, the Louisville men placed 12th at the ACC Championships, while the women finished 15th.

Meet the 2023 Louisville Cross Country Newcomers - Women

Temi Ariyo
Hometown: Baltimore, Md. | High School: Overlea
• Five-time Maryland state champion, including a sweep of the indoor and outdoor 1600 and 3200m in 2023
• Recognized as a Nike indoor All-American while qualifying for the 2023 Nike Indoor Nationals in three events
• Holds five Overlea school records (800m, 1600m, 3200m, 4x400m relay, and 5K)
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 18:43.2
• 800m: 2:15.24
• 1600m: 4:58.20
• 3200m: 10:46.12

Lauren Bettencourt
Hometown: Flower Mound, Texas | High School: FEAST Home School | Previous School: New Mexico
• Competed for two seasons at New Mexico in cross country and track & field
• Placed 10th in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2023 Mountain West Outdoor Championships
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 18:45.1 | 6K (XC): 22:39.0
• 800m: 2:16.81
• 1500m: 4:55.76
• Mile: 4:49.68
• 3000mS: 10:44.24

Amy Harding-Delooze
Hometown: Sydney, Australia | High School: St Clare's College | Previous School: Wake Forest
• Competed for five seasons at Wake Forest in cross country and track & field
• Set new personal-bests in the 1500m and 5000m during the 2023 outdoor track & field season
• Helped set new school record in indoor DMR in 2020 while also winning the ACC indoor title and being recognized as an NCAA All-American in the event
• Also earned a fifth-place finish in the mile at the 2020 ACC Indoor Championships
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 18:02.0 | 6K (XC): 21:22.3
• 800m: 2:12.12
• 1500m: 4:24.30
• 5000m: 16:25.77

Lily Harding-Delooze
Hometown: Sydney, Australia | High School: St Clare's College | Previous School: Wake Forest
• Competed for five seasons at Wake Forest in cross country and track & field
• Placed 16th in the 800m at the 2019 ACC Indoor Championships, while helping the 4x400m relay team to a ninth-place finish at the same meet
Personal Records:
• 800m: 2:07.36
• 1500m: 4:24.56

Brooke Lahee
Hometown: Noblesville, Ind. | High School: Noblesville
• Four-time Indiana cross country state meet qualifier
• Two-time Indiana outdoor track & field state meet qualifier in the 3200m, placing 12th as a senior
• Holds Noblesville record in the indoor 3200m
• Helped team to 2022 cross country and 2023 outdoor track & field Indiana state titles

Haley Meade
Hometown: Patoka, Ind. | High School: Princeton Community
• Two-time Indiana state cross country meet qualifier, earning 12th place and All-State honors in 2022
• Two-time Indiana state qualifier in the 4x800m relay, while also placing 16th in the 1600m at the 2023 Indiana outdoor track & field state meet
• Won regional cross country title in 2021 while finishing as runner-up in 2020 and 2022
• Led team to appearance at the 2022 Indiana cross country state meet, where they placed 18th
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 17:55.0
• 1600m: 5:05.04
• 3200m: 11:01.69

Heidi Meade
Hometown: Patoka, Ind. | High School: Princeton Community
• Four-time Indiana state cross country meet qualifier, placing as high as 11th in 2022 to earn All-State distinction
• Qualified twice for Indiana state meet in the 4x800m relay, while also recording a 15th-place finish in the 1600m in 2023
• Two-time regional cross country champion while also winning the sectional championship in 2022
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 18:02.7
• 1600m: 5:03.96
• 3200m: 11:01.70

Rylee Penn
Hometown: Corona, Calif. | High School: Centennial | Previous School: Cincinnati
• Competed for five seasons at Cincinnati in cross country and track & field
• Earned honorable mention All-American honors in 2023 after placing 20th in the 1500m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships
• Won four AAC championships over the course of her Bearcats career, all during the 2023 indoor and outdoor track & field seasons
• Named AAC Most Valuable Performer at the conclusion of the 2023 indoor season
• Set five new Cincinnati school records during the 2023 season (indoor mile, indoor 3000m, indoor DMR, outdoor 800m, outdoor 1500m)
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 17:54.1 | 6K (XC): 20:50.0
• 800m: 2:01.90
• 1500m: 4:10.13

Auldyn Plant
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn. | High School: University School of Nashville
• Placed third at the 2021 and 2022 Tennessee 2A cross country state meets to earn All-State honors
• Five-time Tennessee 2A state qualifier in the 1600m, 3200m, and 4x400m relay
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 18:52.2
• 1600m: 5:09.31
• 3200m: 11:02.17

Lexi Raquet
Hometown: Tampa, Fla. | High School: Sickles
• Four-time Florida 4A outdoor track & field state meet qualifier, placing as high as fifth in the 1600m in 2023
• Took fifth place at the 2022 Florida cross country state meet after winning both the district and regional championships
• Holds four Sickles school records in the 800m, 1600m, 3200m, and 5K
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 18:07.5
• 800m: 2:16.29
• 1600m: 5:06.48
• 3200m: 10:50.65

Layla Roebke
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colo. | High School: Niwot | Previous School: Tulsa
• Won 2023 NACAC U23 championship in the 5000m while competing for Team USA
• Four-time AAC champion in track & field, most recently winning titles in the indoor 5000m and 3000m steeplechase in 2023
• Two-time NCAA West Region Preliminaries qualifier in the 3000m steeplechase
• Finished third at the 2022 AAC Cross Country Championships while helping her team to the conference title
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 17:40.8 | 6K (XC): 20:55.8
• 1500m: 4:31.10
• 5000m: 16:13.34
• 3000mS: 10:07.80

Maddie Seaby
Hometown: Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada | High School: Carleton Place Public
• Placed fourth in the 5000m at the Canadian U20 Track & Field Championships in the summer of 2023 after placing third in 2022
• Took third place in the 3000m at Ontario provincial meets in 2021 and 2022
• Helped guide her Ottawa Lions club team to a first-place finish at the 2023 Canadian U18 Track & Field Championships
Personal Records:
• 6K (XC): 21:15.0
• 1500m: 4:38.94
• 3000m: 9:55.43
• 5000m: 17:22.30

Audrey Shelton
Hometown: Corinth, Ky. | High School: Grant County
• Three-time Kentucky 3A cross country state qualifier, taking eighth place in 2022
• Five-time Kentucky 3A track & field state qualifier, including a sixth-place finish in the 3200m in 2022
• Holds Grant County records in the 1600m, 3200m, and 5K
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 18:29.7
• 1600m: 5:04.90
• 3200m: 11:00.61

Lily Storey
Hometown: Tullahoma, Tenn. | High School: Tullahoma
• Won Tennessee D1 A-AA 800m title in 2022 and 2023
• Placed 25th at the 2022 Tennessee D1 A-AA cross country state meet
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 20:42.0
• 800m: 2:18.70

Ava Tominack
Hometown: Gahanna, Ohio | High School: Lincoln
• Three-time New Balance Nationals qualifier, finishing as the runner-up in the 1500m in 2023 while competing for Ohio Speed Academy Track Club
• Five-time Ohio state qualifier on the track, recording an eighth-place finish in the 1600m in 2023
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 19:32.4
• 1600m: 4:58.51

Rhune Vanroose
Hometown: Buggenhout, Belgium
• Qualified for the 2023 European U20 Championships in the 3000m steeplechase, where she placed 10th
• Won national title at the 2023 Belgian Championships in the 3000m steeplechase
Personal Records:
• 1000m: 2:53.78
• 1500m: 4:36.55
• 3000m: 9:50.23
• 3000mS: 10:30.10

Kennedy Whitaker
Hometown: St. Louis, Mo. | High School: Parkway West
• Three-time Missouri state qualifier in cross country and two-time state qualifier in track & field
• Earned All-State recognition with a 23rd-place finish at the 2021 Missouri Class 5 State Cross Country Championships
• Helped team to a runner-up finish at the 2020 Missouri Class 5 State Cross Country Championships
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 18:53.2
• 1600m: 5:10.04
• 3200m: 11:30.04

Meet the 2023 Louisville Cross Country Newcomers - Men

Nicky Alexander
Hometown: London, Ohio | High School: London | Previous School: Cincinnati Running Club
• Joined the Louisville track & field team in February, competing in seven meets for the Cardinals
• Led the team with a personal-best 1500m time of 3:51.95 at the Clark Wood Invitational
• Competed for the Cincinnati Running Club for three years, where he currently holds six club records
Personal Records:
• 800m: 1:55.18
• 1500m: 3:51.95
• Mile: 4:10.47
• 5000m: 14:52.84

Colin Lakomek
Hometown: Westfield, Ind. | High School: Westfield
• Anchored 4x400m relay to an eighth-place finish at the 2023 Indiana state track & field meet while also placing 11th in the 800m
• Helped 4x800m relay to fourth place at the 2021 Indiana state meet
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 16:29.5
• 400m: 50.75
• 800m: 1:52.93
• Mile: 4:24.87

Mateo Mendez
Hometown: Columbus, Ind. | High School: Columbus North
• Two-time Indiana state cross country meet qualifier, placing 20th to earn All-State recognition in 2022
• Placed fifth in the 800m at the 2023 Indiana state track & field meet
• Member of two state-qualifying 4x800m relay teams, winning the title in 2022
• Holds Columbus North school and Indiana state records in the 4x800m relay
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 15:34.1
• 800m: 1:53.05
• 1600m: 4:22.3
• 3200m: 9:28.65

Innocent Ntwali
Hometown: Miamisburg, Ohio | High School: Miamisburg
• Two-time Ohio DI cross country state meet qualifier, earning all-state honors with a fifth-place finish in 2022
• Placed seventh in the 3200m at the 2023 Ohio DI state track & field meet
• Helped 4x800m relay teams qualify for state meet in 2022 and 2023, taking fifth place in 2022
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 15:19.7
• 1600m: 4:16.15
• 3200m: 9:10.89

Jacob Puhalla
Hometown: Moon Township, Pa. | High School: Moon Area
• Won Pennsylvania indoor 800m title in 2022
• Three-time WPIAL 800m champion, setting the meet record in the event in 2022
• Qualified for 2023 New Balance Nationals in the 800m
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 16:04.0
• 800m: 1:51.49
• 1600m: 4:15.99

Lucas Reguinho
Hometown: Elizabeth, N.J. | High School: Elizabeth
• 2022 New Jersey Group 4 state cross country champion
• Five-time New Jersey group championships qualifier, winning 3200m title in 2023
• Also won 3200m run at the 2023 New Jersey Meet of Champions
• Earned a runner-up finish in the 1500m at the 2023 New Balance Nationals
• Holds six Elizabeth school records
Personal Records:
• 5K (XC): 15:20.7
• 1600m: 4:15.34
• 3200m: 9:05,64

Jack Stansell
Hometown: Watkinsville, Ga. | High School: Oconee County | Previous School: Kennesaw State
• Ran cross country at Kennesaw State for two seasons and competed on the track & field team for one
• Placed 47th at the 2022 ASUN Conference Cross Country Championships
• Earned a sixth-place finish in the 5000m at the Tennessee Relays
Personal Records:
• 8K (XC): 25:01.0 | 10K (XC): 31:49.6
• 1500m: 3:56.42
• 3000m: 8:49.47
• 5000m: 14:43.72