Luntsford Delivers Top-10 5K Time in Peoria

Scots Set multiple PR's on Friday

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (09/20/2025) — The Monmouth College cross country teams ran in Peoria at the Bradley Intercollegiate on Friday night. Both teams ran against Division I, Division II, Division III and Juco teams with the men covering 8K and the women running 5K.

The Monmouth women finished in 15th place, ahead of Knox and Illinois College, while the men took 17th. Four women set new PR's on the day, led by Sophomore Paige Luntsford (Cairo, Missouri) at 19:20.50 as she finished in 66th place. The time is 46 seconds better than her previous PR and is the sixth best time for a 5K in Monmouth history.

"There were solid performances all around from both the men and women's teams tonight," said head coach Cooper Pauley. "It was great to have our first large meet of the season with a lot of high-level competition."

Junior Samantha Costello (Morris, Illinois) finished 96th in 20:21,60, more than a minute under her 5K time from two weeks ago and 45 seconds better than her previous PR. Freshman Keira Taylor (Astoria, Illinois) was 123rd in 21:19.30, almost 80 seconds better than her PR. Amelia Iwanski (Saint Charles, Illinois) finished in 136th place in 21:56.70, 13 seconds better than her PR. Freshman Adyson Beebe (Clinton, Illinois) was 154th with a time of 22:56.80.

"Our women are looking forward to racing the full 6K distance after three strong shorter races to start the season," said Pauley,

MEN

The men ran the official 8K distance for the first time this season. Junior Xander Stoub (Palos Heights, Illinois) finished in 78th place with a time of 27:49.40, 10 seconds better than his time at this event last September. Sophomore Fernando Avila Rubio (Alpha, Illinois) finished 118th overall in 28:47.50. Freshman Riley Morgan (Jewett, Illinois) took 133rd in 29:17.90 as he ran the 8K in competition for the first time as a collegian.

Freshman Braden Rees (Galesburg, Illinois) ran 30:41.70 to finish 170th with freshman Brady Young (Paxton, Illinois) in 184th with a time of 31:35.80. Junior Larry Kamara (Alpha, Illinois) took 223rd in 35:03.80

"It was good for our men to get their first 8K of the season completed and now we can move forward and look to improve in two weeks in Cedar Rapids," said Pauley.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Luntsford's time is the best at a 5K for the Scots since 2009 when Mary Kate Beyer and Katie Staab ran faster, also in Peoria ... Only Avila Rubio and Stoub had run the 8K at the college level for the men's team ... The Scots have the week off before competing in the Seminole Stampede Classic in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, Oct. 3 ...That race will be on the same course that hosts the Midwest Conference Championships in November.

Samantha

Costello