Career-Best Times Lift DePaul to a Runner-Up Finish

PEORIA, Ill. - For the second-straight week, Matthew Graham topped the leader board for the DePaul men's cross country team at the Bradley Open.  The women's squad was led by Mary Cate Quiet, who placed sixth overall and fourth among Division I student-athletes.  Both Blue Demon teams took a second place finish, while Indiana State took both of the top spots.

In the men's 8K, Graham reached the finish line before all 167 runners, clocking a career-best time of 24:24, 11 seconds faster than the second place finisher.  His previous PR was set at last season's Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational, with a time of 25:19. 

The second DePaul runner to complete the course was Jakub Kolacz, who placed fourth/eighth (Division 1/Overall).  With a time of 25:07, Kolacz shaved 16 seconds off of her previous career-best.  Greg Udzielak recorded a performance of 26:09 to take 10^th/24^th, while Max Clink finished just behind him after crossing the line at the 26:12 mark.  Brian Begalke rounded out the Blue Demon top-five, placing 12^th/31^st with a new personal-record time of 26.24.

Freshmen Cody Phelps and Frank Deaton logged times of 26:58 and 27:14, respectively, while Senior Luke Rygh clocked a time of 27:14.  Chris Gallardo clocked a 27:45 and Tyler Schmitt finished the race in 28:29.

Quiett paced the women, earning a fourth/sixth place finish behind a 5K time of 18:21, just five seconds shy of her career best.  Stephanie Hughes was 11 seconds faster than any of her previous times, crossing the finish line at the 18:47 mark for 7^th/11^th.  Also setting a new PR by over a minute and a half, Toni Salvatore was the 8^th/12^th competitor to finish, with a time of 18:53.  Kelly Pickering and Claire O'Brien wrapped up the top-five in career-best fashion, logging times of 19:08 and 19:35, respectively.  Pickering placed 12^th/18^th, while O'Brien finished in 15^th/24^th place.

Finished just outside the Blue Demon top-five, Stacy Schmitz posted a 5K time of 19:35, while Courtney Avvampato completed the course in 20:11.  Kelsey Dolan, Cari Krikorian and Kim Boisvert all finished one after another, clocking times of 20:13, 20:21 and 20:32, respectively.  Kristen Lafferty recorded a time of 21:06, and Jenny Kranc crossed the line at 21:15

DePaul follows up its weekend of career-best times at the National Catholic Championships hosted by Notre Dame on Fri., Sept. 18.

DePaul University Athletics

Career-Best Times Lift DePaul to a Runner-Up Finish

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