Completed Event: Cross Country versus Cyclone Preview on August 29, 2025 , , Men: 1st, Women: 1st
Final
Cross Country
Cyclone Preview
Men: 1st, Women: 1st
Iowa State University Athletics
Iowa State Men Take First At Hawkeye Invitational
09.04.2015 | Cross Country
The Iowa State men's cross country team, ranked No. 25 in the preseason coaches' poll, took first place in their season-opener, winning the Hawkeye Early Bird Invitational in Iowa City on Friday.
Head coach Martin Smith's young squad ran well together, with the top four Cyclone finishers all crossing the line within a second of each other. Sophomore Keeghan Hurley led the way for Iowa State around Ashton Cross Country Course, finishing fourth in 19:17.5. The Perham, Minn. native was second among all scored runners, with first and third place going to unattached competitors.
Hurley was followed closely by his pack of teammates, with Toby Hardwick (19:17.7) taking fifth, followed by Nathan Rodriguez (19:17.8) in sixth and Josef Andrews (19:18.0) finishing seventh. The Cyclones moved as a unit through the field, particularly in the second half of the race.
Junior Christian DeLago was Iowa State's fifth scorer in the meet, finishing in 11th with a time 19:27.3, the same time teammate Brian Llamas was clocked at as the No. 12 finisher.
True freshman John Nownes also made his Cyclone debut, as the Omaha, Neb. native finished 24th in 19:41.4.
The Cyclones, who were unofficially clocked in fourth place as a team at the race's half-way point, came on strong in the back half and cruised to the win with 23 team points. Illinois State took second with 41 points, followed by UNI (3rd – 85 points) and Iowa (4th – 87 points).
Next Up
The Cyclone men will be back running on Sept. 26 as competition heats up at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis, Minn.
Team Results
1) Iowa State, 23
2) Illinois State, 41
3) UNI, 85
4) Iowa, 87
Individual Results
1) Zach Baker, Unattached, 19:09.6; 4) Keeghan Hurley, Iowa State, 19:17.5; 5) Toby Hardwick, Iowa State, 19:17.7; 6) Nathan Rodriguez, Iowa State, 19:17.8; 7) Josef Andrews, Iowa State, 19:18.0; 11) Christian DeLago, Iowa State, 19:27.3; 12) Brian Llamas, Iowa State, 19:27.3; 24) John Nownes, Iowa State, 19:41.4
Players Mentioned
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