Men first, women third as cross country runs on home course

Cross Country 9/13/2025 3:30:00 PM

Men first, women third as cross country runs on home course

Women's Results | Men's Results

WESTERVILLE – There truly is no place like home.

Hosting their first home meet in years, the Otterbein University cross country teams excelled at its home course. With an exciting opportunity on Senior Day, the men's team won the race as the women's team placed third. This marked the first full 6K and 8K races of the season.

Prior to each race, Otterbein celebrated its senior class of David Hartman, Gavin Kelly, Drew Osler, Jonny Powers, Payne Ratliff, Alec Spangler and Rachel Ziel.

Starting off the day with the women's race, freshman Kate Thormeier led the Cardinals, claiming fifth overall with a race of 22:54.43. Sophomore Brenna Lay ran a 23:18.07 to place ninth and Ella Degenhard was 10th, running a 23:20.35. With a time of 23:45.57, Ava Stratmann was Otterbein's next runner, as Abby Kobs crossed with a 24:00.99.

Kobs started a string of four Otterbein runners who ran in the 24-minute mark, as Maggie Poor's 24:25.11 was the next Cardinal time. Senior Rachel Ziel (24:37.01) was next, followed by Eliza McDonald's 24:55.60. The final three Cardinals to compete Saturday were Kennedy Helton (25:11.14), Gigi Leiter (25:28.95) and Maggie Moon (27:18.13).

On the men's side, Payne Ratliff placed third overall, crossing as the second collegiate runner with a race time of 25:47.79. Ratliff was one of five Cardinals to finish in the top 15, as he was followed by Tucker See's sixth place race of 26:04.88. In eighth was junior Mitch Green, crossing the finish line at 26:18.36. Caleb Rafferty (26:35.35) and Corey Rafferty (26:36.19) took 13th and 14th, finishing less than a second within the other. Junior Brady Pugh's time of 26:41.07 was next for Otterbein, taking 16th overall.

Three Cardinals finished in the 27-minute mark, led by David Hartman's 27:18.87. Gavin Kelly (27:44.38) and Charlie Rundio (27:49.72) were next. The final four Otterbein runners finished in the 28-minute mark with senior Drew Osler running a 28:07.30 to lead the pack. Rounding out the squad was Alex Spangler (28:17.23), Joshua Porter (28:44.59) and Aidan Castillo (28:46.82).

Next Saturday, the Cardinals head to Cedarville University for the All-Ohio Intercollegiate Challenge.

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Players Mentioned

Aidan Castillo: Sophomore

Mitch Green: Junior

David Hartman: Senior

Gavin Kelly: Senior

Drew Osler: Senior

Joshua Porter: Sophomore

Brady Pugh: Junior

Caleb Rafferty: Junior

Corey Rafferty: Junior

Payne Ratliff: Senior

Players Mentioned

Aidan Castillo
: Sophomore

Mitch Green
: Junior

David Hartman
: Senior

Gavin Kelly
: Senior

Drew Osler
: Senior

Joshua Porter
: Sophomore

Brady Pugh
: Junior

Caleb Rafferty
: Junior

Corey Rafferty
: Junior

Payne Ratliff
: Senior