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Vincennes University

Trailblazers Push Through Competitive Field at Angel Mounds Invitational

Trailblazers Push Through Competitive Field at Angel Mounds Invitational
Results
October 17, 2025

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Vincennes University Cross Country teams continued their late-season progression with another strong showing Friday at the Angel Mounds Invitational, hosted by the University of Southern Indiana and the University of Evansville. Competing against a stacked field of NCAA Division I and II programs, the Trailblazers once again showed competitive toughness and steady improvement as both squads prepare for the upcoming postseason. The women's team remains ranked No. 15 and the men No. 25 in the latest NJCAA Division I National Coaches' Poll.

Trailblazer Men Set New Records and Personal Bests

The VU men's team placed 17th overall in the 8,000-meter race, led by sophomore standout Anis Abdaoui, who delivered a historic performance, finishing in 29th with a blazing time of 24:51.49—breaking his own school record by eight seconds, a mark he originally set at the 2024 NJCAA National Championships.

Head Coach Tyler Steigenga praised his star runner's effort, noting the trajectory toward the postseason. "Anis did a great job — he broke his own school record from Nationals last year by eight seconds," Steigenga said. "The end of the race was a little tough for him, but I think come Nationals he'll be able to take even more time off that and improve on his finish from last year."

Sophomore Lane Connaway continued his breakout campaign with a 27:06.69, marking a 15-second personal best from his nationals performance a season ago. Freshman Evan Dailey turned in one of the biggest improvements of the day, finishing in 29:07.97, a 47-second PR from two weeks ago, while Brody Wilson (29:48.55) took a massive 1:05 off his previous best. Sophomore Malachi Black (30:18.79) and freshman Henry Dybsetter (30:56.80) rounded out the scoring group, followed by freshman Seth Weaver (31:55.81).

"We really should have five guys, more like six or seven, well under 30 minutes," Steigenga added. "It just wasn't some of their day today, but we had some strong individual progress. The guys are in a good spot, and the next three weeks will be big as we fine-tune things heading into Regionals and Nationals."

Women Battle Without Dorai, Highlighted by Hale's Big PR

The No. 15-ranked women's team finished 19th overall in the 6,000-meter field, racing without standout freshman Ikram Dorai, who missed the meet with a minor ankle sprain. Even without their top runner, the Trailblazers saw several strong efforts, highlighted by sophomore Alexis Hale, who turned in a career performance with a 23:42.27—a 1:21 personal best and nearly two and a half minutes faster through the 5K mark than her top prep time.

"It was definitely tough without Ikram today—she's a big key to our success—but Alexis had a fantastic race," Steigenga said. "She PR'd by 1:21 and came through the 5K in 19:29, which is almost two and a half minutes faster than her high school time. Madison [Seene] did well too, just four seconds off her PR after battling sickness this week, and both Allie Black and Allie Knepp ran faster than two weeks ago."

Sophomore Sara Belgacem (24:34.16) was VU's second finisher, followed by freshmen Madison Seene (25:44.15), Allie Black (26:50.03), Rorri Bottum (28:04.93), Allie Knepp (28:25.59), and Josie Lade (28:43.30). Six of the seven athletes improved or matched their previous bests despite the challenging field and warm conditions.

"It was a difficult meet with around 18 teams, most of them Division I," Steigenga said. "That kind of competition pushes our front group but can pull some others toward the back. Still, I'm proud of how they responded—we're moving in the right direction at the right time."

Looking Ahead

The Trailblazers will now shift their focus to the NJCAA Region 24 Championships, which Vincennes University will host Thursday, October 24, at Prides Creek Park in Petersburg, Indiana.

"I'm looking forward to seeing everyone on the same page at regionals next week," Steigenga said. "This is the time of year where things start to click. We've seen big steps from about half the team already—now it's about getting everyone there together and finishing strong."

Join the Journey

As always, fans can keep up with the Vincennes University Cross Country squad all year long through a number of ways: