Men First, Women Second as Buckeyes Open Season in Akron

Friday, August 30

Norton, Ohio

6:00 PM

Ohio State

Tommy Evans Invitational

COLLEGE STATION, TX - October 13, 2023 - Ohio State Cross Country Team in College Station, TX. Photo By Evan Pilat/

Photo by: Ohio State Athletics

Men First, Women Second as Buckeyes Open Season in Akron

8/30/2024 9:02:00 PM | Women's Cross Country

Results Photo Gallery

Jack Agnew led the Ohio State men, while Katie Castelli was first for the Buckeye women

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The men finished first and the women were second as the Ohio State men's and women's cross country teams kicked off their seasons at the 55th annual Tommy Evans Invitational hosted by Akron at Silver Creek Cross Country Park in Norton, Ohio, Friday evening. The men had seven runners in the Top 10 and the women had five in the Top 22.

Quoting head coach Sara Mason Vergote
"It was good to see the NCAA Regional course and what we will be dealing with in November.

"The men did a great job executing and working together. It's a long season but this is the best collective group we have had in years.

"We didn't race our full women's squad today but I thought our top women put a solid first race under their belts. They give us much more depth than we had the past two years."

The Buckeye Men
The men were first among eight teams, finishing 35 points ahead of second-place Oakland. The Buckeyes claimed seven of the Top 10 spots and 11 Ohio State runners were in the Top 22. Jack Agnew, in his first official race in the Scarlet and Gray, was second, followed by his brother, senior Kevin Agnew, in third and fifth-year Zubin Jha in fourth. Freshmen closed out Ohio State's scorers, with Weston Day sixth and Connor Long eighth in their first collegiate event.

Sophomore Liam Shaughnessy (9th) and seniors Kaleb Martin (10th) and Sean Carney (12th) placed in the Top 12. Fifth-year John Cuozzo, junior Keegan Freyhof and junior Zach Beneteau wrapped up the Buckeyes in action in Akron.

Jha, Martin and Carney set personal bests in the 6K, while Kevin Agnew, Shaughnessy, Cuozzo, Freyhof and Beneteau all ran their first collegiate 6K.

The Buckeye Women
In her first race as a Buckeye, junior transfer Katie Castelli was first for Ohio State, finishing in eighth, followed by fifth-year Akemi Von Scherr in ninth. Junior Sydney Paul (18th), junior Audrey DeSantis (20th) and sophomore Teodora Iova, in her first 5K as a Buckeye, rounded out Ohio State's team counters.

Freshmen Hailey Kahl and Jessica Derickson made their collegiate cross country debuts, as did sophomore Mia Robillard and seniors Carina Napoleon and Lindsay Stull, while junior transfer Emmi Von Scherr raced in her first event as a Buckeye. Fifth-year Amelia Figler rounded out the Buckeye women's lineup.

Next Up
Ohio State will return to action Sept. 20 in the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis.

55th Annual Tommy Evans Invitational
Aug. 30, 2024 - Norton, Ohio

Men's Results (6K)
Team – 1st/8 (22 points)
2. Jack Agnew (18:13.1)
3. Kevin Agnew (18:17.54)
4. Zubin Jha (18:17.7)
6. Weston Day (18:21.7)
8. Connor Long (18:27.2)
9. Liam Shaughnessy (18:27.6)
10. Kaleb Martin (18:28.1)
12. Sean Carney (18:37.4)
21. John Cuozzo (19:04.6)
22. Keegan Freyhof (19:08.3)
38. Zach Beneteau (19:27.5)

Women's Results (5K)
Team – 2nd/10 (68 points)
8. Katie Castelli (18:11.6)
9. Akemi Von Scherr (18:12.3)
18. Sydney Paul (18:30.9)
20. Audrey DeSantis (18:35.4)
22. Teodora Iovi (18:39.3)
39. Amelia Figler (19:10.9)
42. Mia Robillard (19:17.4)
44. Carina Napoleon (19:20.8)
51. Emmi Von Scherr (19:30.4)
53. Hailey Kahl (19:38.9)
58. Lindsay Stull (19:50.5)
72. Jessica Derickson (20:22.1)