SHELBYVILLE, Ind. - Senior Ellie Cates led the IUPUI women's cross country team to the finish line at the 2023 Jaguar Invitational at Blue River Cross Country Course on Friday night (Sept. 15), placing 11th overall of 72 runners. IUPUI finished fifth of the seven teams competing with 117 points. 

Senior Madison Fry finished 16th overall at 18:55.44 and Julie Smith was 26th at 19:17.57. Hot temperatures took a toll on runners and the Jaguars' team score suffered as junior Laci Provenzano pulled up midway through the race, leaving an already thin team scrambling for a fifth scorer.

"We learned how to handle this situation as a team and help lift each other up, rather than take this to heart," Cates said. "Coming off a big training week, we were running on tired legs, so we kind of got used to that. It's definitely a mental battle, as well as physical. Having that mentality of just get there, be with your teammates to try and push each other along and pack up really helped me out to try and help my teammates, rather than focus individually."

Hannah Sale placed 28th at 19:28.76, closing hard over the final 2,000-meters. Kara Krol rounded out the scorers with a time of 20:13.72, placing 46th overall and Wini Barnett finished 51st at 20:48.74. 

Having not run a cross country race since her freshman campaign due to injuries, Sophie Reichard made her return to racing with a time of 21:26.16 and Rebecca Orvis clocked a time of 22:47.96. Julynne Spidell rounded out the Jaguars' finishers in a time of 23:30.17. 

Purdue Fort Wayne's Madison King took the individual tape in a time of 17:16.91, finishing 23 seconds ahead of Butler's Wiktoria Klebowska. Butler won the team title with 34 points, easily outdistancing second-place Purdue Fort Wayne. 

IUPUI will return to action on Friday, Sept. 29 at Notre Dame's Joe Piane Invitational.