On Saturday, the St. Ambrose Cross Country team opened its season with a 5k on both sides with some in-team competition featuring past cross-country alumni on the home course of the Fighting Bees at Crow Creek in Bettendorf, Iowa. As the course can be challenging with hills, both the Men's and Women's team persevered and finished.

The top-five finishers from the women's team included Kaitlyn Knoche, Maurina Fahrenkrug, Adeline Smith, Allison Hein, and Alexa Minard. Knoche ran the women's 5k in 18:57, Fahrenkrug, being her first cross country race since freshman year of high school, ran a 19:34, and Smith ran a 19:45. Hein ran a 19:50 and Minard ran a 19:53.

Also running for SAU women included Lauren Johnson (20:12), Carlie Woolm (20:44), Alexis Havercamp (22:28), Loryn Heil (24:02), Eileen Elenteny (24:39), Emma Carter (25:20), and Gaby Gonzalez (29:05). 

Some SAU women alumni special appearances that were seen included Jeannie Morrow, a graduate from 1997 (28:17); Carla Heuer, graduate of the 2005 class (35:56); and Brooke Klein, a graduate from 2011, who ran a 21:38.

The men also ran a 5k with Ross Willerth leading the Bees. The men's team had some competition between each other and the Alumni that raced. The top-five finishers included Ross Willerth coming in first with a 15:40. Shortly after, Chris Miserendino ran a 15:55 followed by Luke Benes, a recent SAU alumni, with a 16:01. Third on the SAU team was Ian Eller who ran a 16:10 and Fischer Dickinson followed seconds later finishing with a 16:18. More SAU finishers included Gavin Stalzer with a time of 16:32, Kevin Chaney with a 16:42, and Carver Reiss running a 16:52.

A close group of Alumni and Bees ran times of 17:48 from Jack Degner, 17:55 from Thomas Ashby, a recent SAU alumni, 17:57 from Benett Boatright, and 18:00 from Anthony Conard. Also running for the SAU men were Samuel Beamon (18:29), Shyam Devasthali (18:29), and Mason Schaack (19:15).

Some special appearances that were seen from SAU alumni on the Men's side included Jay Whitmore, who graduated in 2013 from SAU running a time of 20:28; Ryan Buchanan (2013 graduate) ran a 19:10; and St. Ambrose's assistant coach Anthony Peters, who graduated in 2016.

Other races that took place included a 50-meter sprint, 800-meter run, and a mile race for the children of the alumni. There were fun races for both the current, past, and possible future athletes of St. Ambrose Cross Country as everyone was able to get together and support each other while running.

St. Ambrose's next race is back at the Fighting Bees' home course of Crow Creek in Bettendorf, Iowa, on Sept. 13.