Louisville Women Win Southern Showcase Team Title, Men Place Fifth

Friday, September 12

Huntsville, AL

University of Louisville

Southern Showcase

Louisville Women Win Southern Showcase Team Title, Men Place Fifth

September 13, 2025 | Cross Country

Results

The win marks the first at an invitational for the women’s squad since the 2020 season.

By: Sam Gercak

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The University of Louisville cross country teams began their 2025 season on Friday morning at the Southern Showcase, earning a pair of top-five finishes in the team standings.

After finishing as the team runners-up at the same meet last season, the Louisville women combined to total 64 points on their way to the team championship, placing six individuals in the top 25 to secure the program's first win at an invitational event since winning the Gold Division at the Blazer Classic on October 16, 2020.

Emma McGill led the charge in her first race in a Louisville uniform, as the Villanova transfer posted a personal-best 5K time of 16:47.38 to finish sixth overall.

Olivia Alessandrini followed close behind in ninth place to begin her sophomore campaign, clocking a time of 16:53.45 to knock over a minute off the time she recorded in her collegiate debut last season on the same course.

Nancy Chepleting finished 11^th overall in 17:00.40 as the third woman through the line for the Cardinals. Eliza Nicholson recorded a time of 17:11.07 to place 18^th in her collegiate debut, and Julia Schmitt rounded out the scoring five for the Cardinals with a 22^nd-place finish in 17:15.40.

Along with the women's team's victory, the Louisville men finished fifth with 180 points, improving one spot off their sixth-place finish from last season's Southern Showcase.

The men were by a fourth-place individual finish from freshman Elsingi Kipruto, who posted an 8K time of 23:25.50 in his first taste of collegiate action, while Gustav Bendsen placed 23^rd in 24:09.86, improving his season-opening time from last year by nearly a full minute.

In his first meet with the Cards, Dylan Wood set a new personal record in the 8K with a time of 24:34.41 to place 39^th, and Spenser Wolf finished 41^st in 24:37.17. Josiah Hortin placed 85^th with a time of 25:02.76, setting a new personal record in his sophomore season opener.

The Cardinals will return to action in three weeks when the squads split between the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational in Chicago, Ill. on Friday, October 3 and the Swags Louisville Cross Country Classic at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky. on Saturday, October 4.

Southern Showcase
September 12, 2025
Huntsville, Ala. | John Hunt Cross Country Park

* = Personal Record

Men's 8K
Elsingi Kipruto – 23:25.50
Gustav Bendsen – 24:09.96
Dylan Wood – 24:34.41 *
Spenser Wolf – 24:37.17
Josiah Hortin – 25:02.76 *
Gavin Rockwell – 25:22.11 *
Brendan Ruggles – 26:13.98
Ryan Farrell – 26:21.72
Jack Moore – 26:27.09
JB Terrill – 27:41.15

Women's 8K
Emma McGill – 16:47.38 *
Olivia Alessandrini – 16:53.45 *
Nancy Chepleting – 17:00.40
Eliza Nicholson – 17:11.07
Julia Schmitt – 17:15.40 *
Lucinda Rourke – 17:16.81 *
Maddie Seaby – 17:37.14
Haley Meade – 17:48.91
Ellie Maurer – 17:54.53
Lauren Bettencourt – 18:25.72 *
Audrey Shelton – 18:30.41 *
Brooke Lahee – 18:37.37
Riley Griffith – 20:23.6

For the latest information on Louisville Cross Country/Track & Field, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram and Twitter account at @louisvilletfxc or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleTFXC.