ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's and women's cross country teams are set to compete at the Horizon League Championships Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Mastodon Cross Country Course hosted by Purdue Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne, Ind.
The Oakland men's team has proven itself as a serious contender this season, staying consistent and finishing near the top in a series of competitive meets. At the George Dales Invitational, the men earned first place, led by senior Wesley Hollowell, who placed second overall. Hollowell has been a key performer all season, highlighted by a 45th-place finish at the prestigious Joe Piane Invitational at Notre Dame, where he broke the Oakland men's 8k program record of 23:51.50.
Fifth-year Anthony Hancock, another standout for Oakland, claimed a sixth-place finish at the George Dales Invitational with a time of 24:54.20 and led the Black and Gold at the Alabama Crimson Classic in 19th place, while also hitting a sub-24 minute finish at Joe Paine. Fifth-year Tristan Brandenburg has also been a reliable scorer, finishing fifth at George Dales and running the 8k in 23:58.80 at Notre Dame. The men's team has been ranked within the top-15 of the Great Lakes Region in the USTFCCCA regional coaches' poll all season.
The women's team looks to the championship after a season marked by notable performances from freshman Eliza Bush and a talented supporting group. Bush has led the charge for Oakland, consistently placing among the top runners at each meet, including a second-place finish at the George Dales Invitational and a fifth-place finish at the Joe Paine Invitational.
Freshman Ava Alicandro has emerged as a reliable scorer, with top finishes such as 28th with a 22:27.00 6k at George Dales and 40th at Joe Paine. Senior Haileigh Bissett has also emerged as a consistent contributor, picking up three top-five finishes of the Oakland women in each meet, including an 74th place finish at the Alabama Crimson Classic.
The men are looking for their first championship title since 2017, while the women are looking to comeback after a second-place finish last season and took home the trophy in 2023.
Live timing for the championship are available HERE, while meet photos will be available HERE.
How to Follow Oakland Cross Country/Track and Field: For complete information on Oakland Cross Country/Track and Field teams, follow the team on X at @OaklandTrackXC. The team is also on Instagram.
