Wheeling, W. Va. – Two weeks ago, the Wheeling University Men's and Women's Cross Country team opened their season at the Robert Morris Invitational. After dealing with muddy conditions, the Cardinals are looking forward to some sunshine this weekend as they head to the Youngstown State Invitational in nearby Canfield, Ohio at the Gorby Family XC Course. The Cardinals will look to build on their baselines from the Robert Morris Invitational, as they run once again against competition from all three levels of the NCAA.
Last time out, the Cardinals traveled to Robert Morris on what was a muddy course due to rain throughout the week. With muddy conditions on the course, the Cardinals and other runners would have to trudge through the mud in a field of nearly 130 runners across all three levels of the NCAA. Up first were the women in the 6K race, with five Cardinals taking the competition course. Wheeling was able to place one runner in the top 100 of the event, while having another set a PR in the first official race of the season. The Cardinals would finish 11th as a team and third among the Mountain East Conference (MEC) teams in attendance. The Men's team would follow up with the 8K race, running the same loop course as the women. While they did not place anyone inside the top 100 of the event, they had their top runner finish 104th overall, while all five runners would set PR's on the day. While the course presented it's challenges, it was the first run of the year for the Cardinals that they look to build on this week.
Leading the way on the women's side was senior Madison Conrad, who finished 99th overall in the field with a time of 26:51.0 in her first 6K race. The run was just two minutes shy of her time from last season's MEC Cross Country Championships, despite the course working against her. She would finish 16th among her MEC Competition, and top 30 overall against the NCAA DII competition in the field. The run was just over three minutes shy of her 6K PR, as she looks to continue leading the Cardinals in 2026. The lone PR effort of the day came from Jade Trowell, who finished 121st with a time of 29:39.02, marking the first time in her career that she finished under the 30 minute mark. The run was 36 seconds below her previous PR of 30:15.7, which she set at the Bethany Invitational last season, as she continues to lower her Cross Country time to help her excel in her main events during Track & Field season.
On the men's side, the Cardinals would see the debut of sophomore Redick Moore, who missed the entire 2025 Cross Country season due to injury. In what was his collegiate cross country debut, Moore would run a time of 29:55.83 to finish 104th in the field. He would finish 19th among the MEC teams in attendance, putting him in strong position right out the gate. After running in both the 5000 and 10000 meter run during the outdoor track season last year, Moore has been upping his mileage and lowering his time throughout the season. He would finish just seven seconds shy of cracking the top 100 of the event, and battled throughout the muddy course. He was joined on the course by a slew of Track Athletes coming out to help this year's team, with each of the four runners setting baselines to build off as the season goes on.
Saturday's event will serve as a homecoming for Wheeling Distance Coach Chase Stewart, who has led the Cross Country team through the fall season. Stewart is an alumni of Youngstown State, competing as a member of the Penguin's Cross Country team from 2019-2023. The event will be run on the Gorby Family Cross Country Course in Canfield, Ohio, which opened back in 2024. The women will start the day with their 6K run at 9 AM, followed by the Men beginning their 8K at 9:45 AM. Wheeling will be the lone team from the MEC heading to the event, and will compete across a field of competition that includes two NCAA DI programs, 10 NCAA DIII programs, and one club running program. The Cardinals are looking to build on their early season baselines as they continue preparation for the 2026 MEC Cross Country Championships.
The Details
The Youngstown State Cross Country Invitational is scheduled for the women's race to begin at 9 AM, followed by the men's race at 9:45 AM. Stay tuned to wucardinals.com for a live result link, followed by a full recap at the end of the event.
