University of St. Thomas Athletics
Friday, October 16
Peoria, Ill.
12:00 p.m. CT
at
Pink Classic
Tommies build momentum at Bradley Pink Classic Friday
10/16/2026 4:36:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
Casey Poppler leads St. Thomas men, Olivia Goebel paces women during Red Races in Peoria, Ill.
PEORIA, Ill. – The St. Thomas men's and women's cross country squads totaled four top-10 team finishes Friday afternoon at the Bradley Pink Classic, led by sophomore Casey Poppler and junior Olivia Goebel in the Red Races.
The Tommie men placed 10th in the Red 8,000-meter race and 7th in the White 8K. The women finished 7th in the Red 6K and 3rd in the White 6K.
Poppler led the Tommies in the Men's Red 8K and placed 46th with a personal record time of 24:17.7 with senior Adam Lueth following closely behind and placing 50th with a personal record time of 24:19.3, giving the Tommies two runners in the top 70. Senior Max Westerlund placed 60th in 24:27.5 while junior Ben Stricker and senior Isaac Nowak each set personal records.
Junior Olivia Goebel paced the Tommie Women's Cross Country Team in the Women's Red 6K, taking 38th in a personal record 21:03.9 and junior Olivia Pauly following behind in 42nd place with a time of 21:12.2. Freshman Anna VanAcker took 56th in 21:23.8, followed by sophomore Layla Vennink in 63rd in 21:28.0 and freshman Miley Clark in 64th in 21:28.1.
ST. THOMAS MEN'S SCORERS (RED 8K)
Team place: 10th of 25 Teams
46. Casey Poppler (SO) 24:17.7 (PR)
50. Adam Lueth (SR) 24:19.3 (PR)
60. Max Westerlund (SR) 24:27.5
75. Ben Stricker (JR) 24:38.3 (PR)
81. Isaac Nowack (SR) 24:41.8 (PR)
ST. THOMAS MEN'S SCORERS (WHITE 8K)
Team place: 7th of 26 Teams
23. Lliam Merrell (FR) 25:10.9 (PR)
61. Joe McNeil (SR) 26:05.3
64. Lucas Esten (SO) 26:07.0
69. Jonah Pearson (JR) 26:11.6
76. Gabe Hallen (FR) 26:16.3
ST. THOMAS WOMEN'S SCORERS (RED 6K)
Team place: 7th of 24 Teams
38. Olivia Goebel (JR) 21:03.9 (PR)
42. Olivia Pauly (JR) 21:12.2
56. Anna VanAcker (FR) 21:23.8
63. Layla Vennink (SO) 21:28.0
64. Miley Clark (FR) 21:28.1
ST. THOMAS WOMEN'S SCORERS (WHITE 6K)
Team place: 3rd of 19 Teams
4. Gabrielle Wahl (JR) 21:48.7
7. Emily Baker (JR) 22:03.0
20. Ellie Moore (SO) 22:25.1
27. Amber Haukoos (JR) 22:32.5
30. Elsie Kmecak (SR) 22:38.7
QUOTABLES
Women's Head Coach Ashley Lucas following the Bradley Pink Classic:
"I thought the women competed. They got out aggressive and couldn't quite maintain it on the back half but they fought to the end. I'm proud of their grit."
Men's Head Coach Pete Wareham following the Bradley Pink Classic:
"I am seeing positive progress with our team each week and it showed up in today's meet. We performed today even better than we have done in past years at this meet including better than our first year when we eventually finished runner up at the Summit League championship.
"The next two weeks are critical for us to stay healthy and sharpen up. Our league is pretty strong this year and we are excited about our next meet when we host the Summit League Championship on Halloween."
UP NEXT
The St. Thomas Men's Cross-Country team now will have the following week off and will prepare for the Summit League Championship on Oct. 31, while the Tommie women will have the Winona State Classic on Oct. 23 in Winona, Minn.
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Cross Country, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) at @TommieXCTF. For more information on St. Thomas Men's and Women's Cross Country, follow along on Instagram at @tommiemtfxc and @tommiewxctf. Tommie Athletics is now on TikTok at @TommieSports.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
The Tommie men placed 10th in the Red 8,000-meter race and 7th in the White 8K. The women finished 7th in the Red 6K and 3rd in the White 6K.
Poppler led the Tommies in the Men's Red 8K and placed 46th with a personal record time of 24:17.7 with senior Adam Lueth following closely behind and placing 50th with a personal record time of 24:19.3, giving the Tommies two runners in the top 70. Senior Max Westerlund placed 60th in 24:27.5 while junior Ben Stricker and senior Isaac Nowak each set personal records.
Junior Olivia Goebel paced the Tommie Women's Cross Country Team in the Women's Red 6K, taking 38th in a personal record 21:03.9 and junior Olivia Pauly following behind in 42nd place with a time of 21:12.2. Freshman Anna VanAcker took 56th in 21:23.8, followed by sophomore Layla Vennink in 63rd in 21:28.0 and freshman Miley Clark in 64th in 21:28.1.
ST. THOMAS MEN'S SCORERS (RED 8K)
Team place: 10th of 25 Teams
46. Casey Poppler (SO) 24:17.7 (PR)
50. Adam Lueth (SR) 24:19.3 (PR)
60. Max Westerlund (SR) 24:27.5
75. Ben Stricker (JR) 24:38.3 (PR)
81. Isaac Nowack (SR) 24:41.8 (PR)
ST. THOMAS MEN'S SCORERS (WHITE 8K)
Team place: 7th of 26 Teams
23. Lliam Merrell (FR) 25:10.9 (PR)
61. Joe McNeil (SR) 26:05.3
64. Lucas Esten (SO) 26:07.0
69. Jonah Pearson (JR) 26:11.6
76. Gabe Hallen (FR) 26:16.3
ST. THOMAS WOMEN'S SCORERS (RED 6K)
Team place: 7th of 24 Teams
38. Olivia Goebel (JR) 21:03.9 (PR)
42. Olivia Pauly (JR) 21:12.2
56. Anna VanAcker (FR) 21:23.8
63. Layla Vennink (SO) 21:28.0
64. Miley Clark (FR) 21:28.1
ST. THOMAS WOMEN'S SCORERS (WHITE 6K)
Team place: 3rd of 19 Teams
4. Gabrielle Wahl (JR) 21:48.7
7. Emily Baker (JR) 22:03.0
20. Ellie Moore (SO) 22:25.1
27. Amber Haukoos (JR) 22:32.5
30. Elsie Kmecak (SR) 22:38.7
QUOTABLES
Women's Head Coach Ashley Lucas following the Bradley Pink Classic:
"I thought the women competed. They got out aggressive and couldn't quite maintain it on the back half but they fought to the end. I'm proud of their grit."
Men's Head Coach Pete Wareham following the Bradley Pink Classic:
"I am seeing positive progress with our team each week and it showed up in today's meet. We performed today even better than we have done in past years at this meet including better than our first year when we eventually finished runner up at the Summit League championship.
"The next two weeks are critical for us to stay healthy and sharpen up. Our league is pretty strong this year and we are excited about our next meet when we host the Summit League Championship on Halloween."
UP NEXT
The St. Thomas Men's Cross-Country team now will have the following week off and will prepare for the Summit League Championship on Oct. 31, while the Tommie women will have the Winona State Classic on Oct. 23 in Winona, Minn.
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Cross Country, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) at @TommieXCTF. For more information on St. Thomas Men's and Women's Cross Country, follow along on Instagram at @tommiemtfxc and @tommiewxctf. Tommie Athletics is now on TikTok at @TommieSports.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
Wednesday, October 14
Tuesday, October 13
Monday, October 12
Saturday, October 10
