South Bend, IND. - The Western Mustangs men's and women's cross country teams turned in standout performances last Friday at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational, held on the historic Burke Golf Course. Competing against a deep field of U.S. and Canadian programs, the Mustangs earned multiple top-10 finishes, personal bests, and a new school record.

In the Women's Gold 5K, Victoria Lamb delivered a breakout performance, finishing third overall with a time of 17:06, setting a new Western record on the course. Her strong run helped the Mustangs secure fifth place out of 22 teams, tallying 165 points. Rounding out Western's scoring were Maria Linton (22nd), Clara Fava (26th), Juliana Hendrikx (53rd), and Erika Gordon (63rd).

The Men's Gold 8K saw another strong team performance, with Robin Faricier and Liam Smithleading the way. The duo finished 8th and 10th, propelling Western to an impressive third-place team finish with 170 points in a competitive field. Satveer Gill (31st), Owen Parkes (58th), and Saurang Puthenkulangara (63rd) rounded out the scoring for the Mustangs.

In the Women's Open 5K, both first-year and veteran athletes posted promising results, highlighted by Brooke Power's 43rd-place finish. On the men's side, first-year runner Skyler Grossi made a strong collegiate debut, finishing 46th and leading the Mustangs in the Men's Open 8K.

Overall, it was a weekend of milestones and momentum for the Mustangs south of the border. The teams will look to carry that energy into their next meet — the Marauder Bayfront Open, hosted by McMaster, this Friday (Oct. 10).