WILMORE, Ky. – It was a memorable and meaningful day for IU Columbus Cross Country as the Crimson Pride turned in strong performances at the Fiercely Faithful Justin Spoon Invitational, a race run in honor of former Columbus North and Asbury University runner Justin Spoon, who passed away in March 2023 after battling a rare form of cancer. The meet carried special significance for the Crimson Pride staff, as Head Coach Tim Hoeflinger once coached Justin during his time at Northside Middle School and worked with him through Campus Life programs.

"It was truly a blessing to get to be a part of a meet that honored his life," said Coach Hoeflinger.

Women's Team – 4th Place Finish

The Crimson Pride women placed fourth overall on a challenging 6K course.

• Phoebe Dowty led the way with a 6th-place finish (25:14), showcasing her toughness on the punishing layout.

• Veteran Erin Jones followed with a strong 21st-place effort (28:26), narrowly missing a top-20 podium spot.

• Tori Gauck crossed in 29th (31:18), with Alex Saavedra (38th, 38:04) and Grace Barkes (41st, 39:12) rounding out the scoring five.

"It was great to see our hard work paying off and to be competitive on such a grueling course," Coach Hoeflinger added.

Men's Team – 3rd Place Podium

The Crimson Pride men turned in one of their best team efforts of the season, earning a third-place team finish and making program history with multiple podium performances.

• Newcomer Luke Neibert impressed with a 4th-place finish (29:37) in his IU Columbus debut.

• Brother Jackson Neibert followed close behind in 8th (30:11).

• Emiliano Rosales-Lopez continued his steady improvement, racing to 13th (31:19).

• Bryaun Manuel (30th, 34:37) and Chance Knapp (31st, 34:45) rounded out the scoring five, with several athletes tackling the 8K distance for the first time.

"This was the first time IU Columbus has had multiple runners place on the podium in a single race," Coach Hoeflinger noted. "For some of our guys, this was their first 8K—a big step up from the 5K distances they were used to in high school. I'm proud of how they responded."

Next Up: The Crimson Pride won't have to wait long to build on this momentum. IU Columbus returns to action Friday, October 3, at the prestigious Nike XC Town Twilight Meet at the LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, home of the IHSAA State Championships. The meet is scheduled to start at 9:00 PM.