Akron Opens Cross Country Campaign Hosting 50th Annual Tommy Evans Invitational

Saturday, September 8

Norton, Ohio

University of Akron

50TH ANNUAL TOMMY EVANS INVITATIONAL

Akron Opens Cross Country Campaign Hosting 50th Annual Tommy Evans Invitational

September 06 | Cross Country

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2018 TOMMY EVANS INVITATIONAL MEET INFORMATION (PDF) | COURSE PREVIEW VIDEO | COURSE MAP | COMMUNITY RACE SIGN-UP | MEN'S VIDEO PREVIEW | WOMEN'S VIDEO PREVIEW

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron men's and women's cross country squads will open their 2018 campaign hosting the 50th annual Tommy Evans Invitational this Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Silver Creek Metro Park (MAP) in Norton, Ohio (4325 S Medina Line Rd, Norton | OH 44203-5840).

The Tommy Evans Invitational will mark the third year for the Zips to race on the dedicated cross-country course at Silver Creek Metro Park. The men's four-mile race will open the meet at 10:15 a.m. followed by the women's 5K race at 11 a.m. and a Community 5K at 11:40 a.m. Joining Akron in the field will be Akron (M/W), Baldwin Wallace (M/W), Cleveland State (W), Cuyahoga Community College (W), Kent State (M/W), Malone (M/W), Point Park (M/W) and Youngstown State (M/W).

The Akron men's squad under the direction of 11th-year head coach Lee LaBadie will be sparked by the return of second-team All-MAC selection Marc Migliozzi (Pittsburgh, Pa.), who placed 10th at the 2017 MAC Championship crossing the line in 25:07.5. Junior Nick Stricklen (Lexington, Ohio) and redshirt juniors Tevin Brown (Toledo, Ohio) and Jeremiah Fitzgerald (Mantua, Ohio) are also back for the Zips after registering times of 25:26.3 (25th), 25:58.8 (45th) and 26:00.4 (46th), to place 25th, 45th and 46th, respectively.

Also returning for Akron after competing in the league championship a year ago is sophomore Andre Bollam-Godbott (Brunswick, Ohio) (26:20.9/57th), redshirt junior Nick Campbell (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) (26:30.2/65th) and redshirt sophomore Jacob Ondash (Hiram, Ohio) (26:40.8/67th).

Akron women's cross country team under the leadership of first-year head coach Trey Brokaw is set for the 2018 campaign, led by redshirt junior Mackenzie Andrews (Toowoomba, Australia), who is the Zips' top returning finisher from the league championship a year ago, covering the 6K course in a time 22:06.7.

Akron will also benefit from the return of junior Haley Hess (Curtice, Ohio), who followed Andrews across the finish line for the Zips' women's squad recording a time of 22:22.3 (43rd).

Also returning for Akron after racing for the Zips in the championship is sophomore Lindsey Scarton (Berea, Ohio) (22:57.3/70th), redshirt senior Elizabeth Mosier (Austintown, Ohio) (23:02.3/72nd), sophomore Whitney Wendling (Lexington, Ohio) (23:09.6/76th), redshirt sophomore Alyssa Thomas (Green, Ohio) (23:23.9/85th) and senior Tarike Osuobeni (Columbus, Ohio) (24:07.7/97th).

A year ago, Bollam-Godbott and Andrews sparked the Zips' efforts as the University of Akron men's and women's cross country teams opened their 2017 campaign dominating the field at the 49th annual Tommy Evans Invitational on Sept. 7, 2017.

In his collegiate debut, Bollam-Godbott led wire-to-wire and crossed the line first in a time of 15:12.6. He led a pack of Zips that placed five runners in the top seven.

Stricklen, Migliozzi, Fitzgerald and Brown finished second, third, fifth and seventh, respectively, registering times of 15:16.3, 15:16.9, 15:19.2 and 15:23.1.

In the women's field, Andrews paced the field crossing the line first in 18:00.3.

Mosier, Hess, Scarton and Osuobeni rounded out the Zips' scoring contingent placing fifth, seventh, 14th and 16th, respectively, posting times of 18:25.6, 18:29.4, 18:43.4 and 18:49.2.