Tuohy runs impressive final stretch to prevail against Chelangat in 5-kilometer race and lead defending champion Wolfpack past New Mexico and Alabama; Victor Kiprop leads three Crimson Tide athletes in top six of 5-mile competition, but host Notre Dame prevails against Carlson-led Tennessee

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Katelyn Tuohy, the reigning NCAA Division 1 5,000-meter champion, pulled away from defending 10,000-meter title holder Mercy Chelangat of Alabama in the final kilometer Friday of the Joe Piane Notre Dame Cross Country Invitational at Burke Golf Course, allowing top-ranked North Carolina State to edge New Mexico and Alabama in the women’s blue 5-kilometer race.

Notre Dame also held off former coach Sean Carlson and his new team at Tennessee, including reigning 10,000-meter champion Dylan Jacobs, in the men’s blue 5-mile race, with Victor Kiprop leading three Alabama athletes placing in the top six overall.

Tuohy turned a one-second advantage at the 4-kilometer mark into a 12-second victory, clocking 15:50.1, as defending Division 1 champion North Carolina State had four scorers in the top 12 to prevail by a 55-68 margin against No. 3 New Mexico, with No. 10 Alabama taking third with 70 points.

Chelangat, last year’s blue 5-kilometer race winner, was runner-up in 16:02.1 and freshman Hilda Olemomoi took third in 16:04.9 for the Crimson Tide, which also had Amaris Tyynismaa finish 15th in 16:23.6 and Flomena Asekol – runner-up last season – earn 18th in 16:28.4.

Kaylee Mitchell placed fourth in 16:09.8 and Grace Fetherstonhaugh finished 14th in 16:23.5, as Oregon State was eighth with 256 points.

Tuohy was supported by Samantha Bush finishing fifth in 16:11.7 and Tennessee transfer Sydney Seymour securing sixth in her Wolfpack debut in 16:11.9.

Marlee Starliper grabbed 12th in 16:21.9 and Gionna Quarzo was 31st in 16:42.2 for North Carolina State, which triumphed at last year’s meet with 38 points, as the top three teams finished in the exact same order again Friday.

New Mexico positioned itself well at the 4-kilometer mark with its top five scorers separated by five seconds and continued to challenge North Carolina State in the final stretch.

Gracelyn Larkin was ninth in 16:20.4 and Amelia Mazza-Downie placed 10th in 16:21.3, with Samree Dishon securing 13th in 16:22.0, Emma Heckel earning 16th in 16:24.5, followed by Elise Thorner (16:33.0) and Danielle Verster (16:33.6) taking 20th and 21st, respectively, for the Lobos.

Calli Doan was seventh in 16:14.9 for Liberty, which captured sixth with 187 points.

Olivia Markezich earned eighth in 16:17.9 for host Notre Dame, which finished fourth with 146 points.

Florida State was fifth with 175 points, led by Emmy Van Den Berg placing 17th in 16:27.7.

Joy Chirchir grabbed 11th in 16:21.8 for Toledo, which secured seventh with 213 points.

Kiprop surged late to prevail against Nickolas Scudder of Charlotte in the blue 5-mile competition by a 23:16.5 to 23:18.0 margin.

Eliud Kipsang, the collegiate record holder in the 1,500 meters, took third in 23:19.9 and Hillary Cheruiyot was sixth in 23:24.9 for Alabama, which was third with 126 points.

Notre Dame relied on five scorers finishing in the top 26 to prevail with 81 points, ahead of runner-up Tennessee with 104 points.

Yaseen Abdalla, a Texas transfer, finished fourth in 23:24.4 and Jacobs earned eighth in 23:26.3 for the Volunteers, who had five athletes place in the top 40.

Kevin Berry was 10th for Notre Dame 23:31.9 and was supported by Carter Solomon (23:37.7) and Izaiah Steury (23:38.3) in 13th and 14th overall, with Matthew Carmody taking 18th in 23:44.6 and Carter Cheeseman finishing 26th in 23:54.1.

Ferghal Curtin, a Charleston Southern transfer, was fifth in 23:24.7 for Florida State, which placed 11th with 267 points.

Ian Shanklin secured seventh in 23:25.1 for North Carolina State, which grabbed ninth with 218 points.

Barry Keane placed ninth in 23:30.2 for Butler, which matched Charlotte with 180 points, but ended up in sixth place after losing the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Nicholas Kiprotich clocked 23:33.9 for 11th place for Liberty, which took 16th with 411 points and Jonathan Shields placed 12th in 23:36.4 to help Boise State move into the top 10 with 265 points.

Montana State, with five scorers in the top 40, was fourth with 144 points, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo placed seventh with 192 points and Michigan – runner-up last season – was eighth with 217 points, led by Nick Foster (23:38.4) taking 15th.