WILMINGTON, Ohio — WVU Tech cross country closed out its regular season in strong fashion Friday, racing to a 13th-place men's team finish and collecting eight personal bests at the Jenna Strong Fall Classic. Facing a large, competitive field that featured top NAIA and NCAA programs, the Golden Bears turned in their best collective outing of the fall as they build toward the championship stretch.
Team Finishes
- Men: 13th of 21 scoring teams — 369 points
- Women: Competed in 5K race (two entries, no team score)
Individual Highlights
Men's 8K
The men's team showed both front-end strength and valuable depth at Wilmington, with six of seven runners setting personal bests.
- Evan McElwayne (So., Clarksburg, W.Va.) led the Golden Bears with a 21st-place finish in 26:34.1, a career best that capped a consistent regular season. McElwayne has now dropped more than 30 seconds off his 8K mark since the start of the year, establishing himself as one of the top individual threats in the River States Conference heading into championship week.
- Jan Fasius Ponsa (Fr., Manresa, Spain) continued his steady rookie rise with a 28:04.2, placing 87th overall and shaving time off his previous PR.
- Eli Jordan (Fr., Daniels, W.Va.) followed in 28:47.9, also a career best, giving Tech three under 29 minutes for the first time this fall.
- Veteran Samuel Whitcomb (Sr., Waynesboro, Va.) stepped up with a personal best of 29:46.2, providing valuable scoring in the fourth position.
- Travis Anderson (Fr., Ravenswood, W.Va.) recorded another strong performance with a 30:29.0 PR, while Chucky Jordan (Fr., Lake City, S.C.) crossed in 32:56.5 and Ethan Cavender (Fr., Saint Albans, W.Va.) rounded out the lineup in 34:20.9, his fastest 8K to date.
The 13th-place finish marked the men's best team showing of 2025, and gave the Bears important momentum heading into the postseason.
Women's 5K
The women's side featured a pair of standout performances, with both Golden Bears lowering their collegiate 5K marks in the season finale.
- Lexie Wikel (So., Mullens, W.Va.) crossed in 21:14.5, slicing more than 50 seconds off her previous personal best and continuing a breakout sophomore campaign.
- Peyton Asbury (So., Hampshire County, W.Va.) followed in 23:37.0, knocking more than a minute off her previous best and showing strong form over the final 1,000 meters.
Other Contributors
Under Head Coach Jordan Hosey and Assistant Coach Jessica York, the Golden Bears have shown steady week-to-week progress throughout the fall. Wilmington marked another step forward — with six men and both women running career bests, a deep pack, and a front-runner in McElwayne ready to contend at the conference level. The balance of experienced leadership and promising newcomers has positioned Tech well for the championship portion of the schedule.
What's Next
WVU Tech now turns its focus to the River States Conference Championship on Friday, November 8 in Rio Grande, Ohio. The Golden Bears will look to carry their season-best momentum into the postseason.
