CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State Cross Country will open the 2023 season with the Redhawk Cross Country Invitational. The meet will take place at the Osage Centre Fields, 625 North Kingshighway here in Cape Girardeau.
 
The invite will begin with the women's 4k at 6:15 p.m., followed by the men's 6k at 6:45 p.m. The invitational is open and free to the public.
 
The 2022 Redhawk Invitational saw the women's cross-country team take first with its five scorers finishing in the top nine. The Redhawk men placed second overall with three runners in the top seven. 
 
Brooklyn Bender is the lone recruit being added to the 2023 women's team. The SEMO women have 12 returning runners from last season.
 
The men's team has 14 runners returning and four freshman joining the squad for the 2023 season: Cade McCadams from Jackson, Mo., Myles Thornburg from Liberty, Mo., Ryan Seabaugh from Cape Girardeau, and Maxwell Zeisler from Gurnee, Ill.
 
The team has two returning All-OVC runners; Senior Hannah Eastman earned OVC First Team honors, and Senior Noah Little obtained second team honors. The SEMO women finished fourth, while the men took sixth in the conference during the 2022 campaign.
 
The last time the cross-country team ran was at the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Midwest Regional. 
 
The SEMO women placed 31st overall as a team, accumulating 841 points. On the men's side, the Redhawks finished in 26th place overall with 780 points. 
 
During the Women's race Eastman paced the Redhawk women placing 90th overall, crossing the line in 21:40.7. 
 
Taylor Fox crossed the line in 22:53.5 placing 170th and finished second overall for the Redhawk women. 
 
Mackenzie Pugh placed 180th overall, setting a new personal-best with an overall time of 23:02.8 in the 6K. 
 
Madelyn Gray followed close behind for 201st in a time of 23:27.8.
 
Layla Fliege and Lexie Dockstader finished in 216th and 222nd. Fliege finished in 23:59.8 while Dockstader crossed the line in 24:15.6. 
 
On the men's side, Aaron Modrow led the Redhawks pack. Modrow finished the race in 124th place with an overall time of 31:37.5 for a new personal-best in the 10K. 
 
Noah Little finished second for the Redhawk men, finishing in 31:56.8 for 146th place overall in the 10K after Modrow. For Little, his final time set a new personal-best in the event. 
 
Nick Cimmarusti was the third fastest Redhawk in the 10K, finishing in 32:25.1, which was good for 169th. The time set a new personal-best for the sophomore from St. Charles, Missouri. 
 
Clayton Eftink added a time of 33:00.7 for 183rd overall. Eftink's effort set a new personal-best for the 10K event. 
 
Justin Splitt (33:41.2, 190th), Connor Ayres (34:02.7, 193rd), and Garrett Dumke (34:06.6, 194th) also competed for the Redhawks in the 10K. All three runners set new personal bests in the 10K to round out the Regional on the men's side.
 
Looking Ahead
Following the Redhawks Cross Country Invitational, SEMO will be back in action at the John MncNichols Cross Country Invitational on the campus of Indiana State. The men will compete in an 8K beginning at 9 a.m. while the women will follow with a 5K at 9:45.