Ohio Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Kick Off the 2026 Season with Wins at BGSU’s Mel Brodt Collegiate Open

Friday, September 4

Bowling Green, OH

10 a.m. ET

Mel Brodt Collegiate Open

Ohio Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Kick Off the 2026 Season with Wins at BGSU’s Mel Brodt Collegiate Open

9/4/2026 3:39:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Ohio men's and women's cross country team kicked off the 2026 season with victories over Bowling Green at the Mel Brodt Collegiate Open on Friday, Sept. 4. The women finished first with 22 points to Bowling Green's 34 points. The men also took first with 19 points to Bowling Green's 41 points.

Not only did both teams take first, but the individual winners from both races were Bobcats. Senior Ellie Greenwell (Park Hills, Ky.) won the women's 5k race with a personal-best time of 17:57.0. Junior Elliot Zuckett went on to win the men's 5k race, running a time of 15:19.6.

Ohio's top five finishers in the women's 5k also placed in 10^th or high overall. Coming in right after Greenwell was junior Kaitlyn Stewart (Floyd Knobs, Ind.) in second place (17:58.6). Junior Reece Savage (Johnstown, Ohio) was close behind, placing fourth with a time of 18:09.1. Sophomore Savana Miller placed sixth (18:30.2) while senior Eliza Streit (Plain City, Ohio) rounded out Ohio's top five in ninth place (18:36.9)

In the men's 5k race, Ohio swept the top three finishers. Junior Michael Dellasanta (Columbus, Ohio) crossed the finish line with Zuckett, taking second with a time of 15:19.6. Sophomore Tate Ruthers (Thornville, Ohio) was the next Bobcat to cross the finish line, placing third overall (15:31.3). Rounding out Ohio's top five finishers was sophomore Luca Cirincione (Georgetown, Ind.) in sixth place (15:54.4) and senior Sam Beeler (Cincinnati, Ohio) in seventh place.

The Bobcats will be back in action at the Spartan Invitational, hosted by Michigan State, on Friday, Sept. 11 in East Lansing, Mich.

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