Michigan
Pre-National Invitational
U-M Finishes 13th at Pre-Nationals Behind Gordon's Team-Leading Effort
10/16/2026 12:59:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
» Graduate student Penelopea Gordon led Michigan for the third consecutive meet, finishing 71st overall in 20:40.8.
» Junior Stephanie Bertram placed 84th overall in 20:49.1 after climbing nine spots over the final two kilometers.
» Brooke Johnston finished 91st overall, placing third among Michigan runners. It was her first finish in the Wolverines' top three this season.
Site: Terre Haute, Ind. (LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course)
Event: Pre-National Invitational
U-M Team Result: 13th of 43 (440 points)
Top U-M Individual: Penelopea Gordon, 71st (20:40.8)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Oct. 23 -- at EMU Fall Classic (Dexter, Mich.), 4:30 p.m.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's cross country team finished 13th among 43 teams with 440 points at the Pre-National Invitational on Friday (Oct. 16) at LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, led by graduate student Penelopea Gordon and junior Stephanie Bertram.
Gordon paced the Wolverines for the third consecutive meet, finishing 71st overall in 20:40.8. Bertram followed in 84th place with a time of 20:49.1, moving up nine spots over the final two kilometers.
Brooke Johnston (20:51.0), Hannah Pricco (20:54.9) and Mikita Barry (20:58.5) finished within eight seconds of one another to round out Michigan's five scoring runners. Johnston finished 91st overall, placing among Michigan's top three runners for the first time this season.
Caroline Beiting (21:03.6) and Katelyn Watkins (21:12.6) completed Michigan's top seven, which remained unchanged for the second consecutive meet.
Rylee Tolson rounded out Michigan's competitors in the Blue Race, placing 202nd in 21:34.2.
No. 2-ranked BYU edged top-ranked North Carolina State for the team title, while NC State's Hannah Gapes won the individual race, breaking the course record by 16 seconds.
Women's 6K White Race
Michigan had four runners compete in the women's 6K White Race but did not record a team result. Emmry Ross led the Wolverines with a 26th-place finish in 21:29.0.
Maya Markowska moved up 46 places over the final two kilometers to finish 66th in 22:00.0. Jadyn Zdanavage followed in 22:05.6, while Hannah Gates completed Michigan's lineup in 22:25.5.
Michigan will return to competition Friday (Oct. 23) at the EMU Fall Classic at Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter, Mich. The race is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.
