MACOMB, IL - Leatherneck Cross Country traveled to South Bend, Indiana, to compete in the prestigious Joe Piane Invitational, hosted at Notre Dame. The meet honors Joe Piane, a Western Illinois alum who went on to coach at Notre Dame for over 20 years after serving as an assistant coach at WIU.
Women's Gold Race (5K)
- Lydia Bennett led the Leathernecks with a standout run of 18:06.2, earning a 40-second personal best and placing 23rd overall.
- Aylana Cezar followed with a time of 18:25.9, also clocking a 16-second PR.
- Emma-Kate Watt continued the momentum with a new personal best of 19:10.2.
- Aurora Dominguez (19:17.3) and Deana Hudson (19:08.2) rounded out the Leatherneck scoring, helping the women's squad place 12th overall as a team.
Women's Open
In the Open Race, Western Illinois gained valuable depth and experience:
Men's Gold Race (8K)
The Leatherneck men also impressed with across-the-board season bests:
The men placed 19th overall as a team in one of their better performances of the year.Â
Leatherneck Takeaway
It was a special day of progress for Western Illinois with several season bests, and strong team finishes against a deep regional and national field. The performances will pave the way into the next meet at Bradley.Â
FOLLOW THE LEATHERNECKS
For all the latest information on Leatherneck Cross Country, please visit GoLeathernecks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Leathernecks on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
