NORTON, Ohio – Competing against local NCAA Division I programs, the Baldwin Wallace University men's cross country team used career-best times across the board to place fifth at the Tommy Evans Invitational, hosted by the University of Akron at the Silver Creek Metro Park Cross Country Trails.

BW finished fifth of seven teams with a total of 150 points while Youngstown State University took home the team title with 39 points.

Coordinator of Cross Country and Track and Field and Head Cross Country Coach Joe Eby switched to the Tommy Evans meet from the Ohio Wesleyan University Invitational that the Yellow Jackets competed in last year to be able to compete against the local Division I runners. BW was the only Division III team to compete in the meet. 

All five of the Yellow Jacket top finishers put up career-best 4-mile times. Junior Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference selection Isaac Wilson (Tylersburg, Pa./North Clarion) led the way for the second meet in a row as he ran a time of 20 minutes, 46.3 seconds to finish in 26th place. The next three BW runners all finished within 10 seconds of each other between junior Nick Irwin (Westlake), senior Spencer Mahon (North Royalton) and sophomore All-OAC performer Josh Hickmott (Clay, N.Y./Liverpool). Irwin crossed the finish line in 33rd place in a career-best time of 20:58.6. Mahon once again registered a career-best time as he ran his 4-mile race in 21:04.6 to finish 36th while Hickmott was not far behind in 40th place in a career-best 21:09.1.

Freshman Joe Juda (Strongsville) rounded out the top five once again with a 51st-place finish in a career-best time of 21:43.4, improving on his time from last week's 4-mile race by over one minute.

BW will have a week to continue training before racing again on Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Purple Valley Classic, hosted by Williams College at Mount Greylock High School in Williamstown, Massachusetts.