Red Wolves - IU East

No way Justin Taylor was letting this race get away.

A Red Wolf was going to take home first place in the program's first home meet.

Taylor finished first in 18:18 against Cincinnati Christian University on Sept. 7 to win the first intercollegiate meet on the new Indiana University East Cross Country Course.

"That was the goal going in, to get first," said Taylor, a sophomore on the IU East cross country team. "I've got to keep improving and get my time better, but the goal going in was to get first. I didn't want to settle for anything less in the first meet on our home course."

It was the first home meet for IU East and the first on-campus NAIA intercollegiate athletics event in IU East history.

IU East claimed five of the top seven spots.

Taylor, a sophomore from Waynesville, Ohio, won the 5K race by 14 seconds.

He made his move at the one-mile mark, at the urging of teammates who didn't want CCU's lead runner to get too far in front.

IU East freshman Aaron Myers (Lynn, Ind./Randolph Southern High School) was third in 19:06. Myers knocked 50 seconds off of his time from the season-opening meet Sept. 2 at Asbury University.

Red Wolves freshman Patrick Smith (Fountain City, Ind./Northeastern High School) was fourth in 20:00.

Redshirt freshman Brandon Arnett (Lynn, Ind./Indiana University) was sixth in 20:28.

Redshirt junior Tim Lowman (Eaton, Ohio/Miami University) was seventh in 20:29. Lowman reduced his time from the season opener by 53 seconds.

IU East sophomore Jordan Kearney (Centerville, Ind./Centerville High School) was 10th in 24:43.

"I was happy with their times considering we had a meet (Sept. 2) and a long run over the weekend," said IU East coach Pam Mertz, noting most college teams run no more than once per week.

"Since we ran twice in five days, our times were good.

CCU did not field a complete team, giving IU East the team win in the first dual meet in the cross country program's history.

IU East honored Reid Hospital & Health Care Services, the course's signature sponsor, prior to the race.

"A big thanks to Reid," Mertz said. "It was nice to see everybody out here for our first meet."

Click here to view photos from Week 1 of the IU East cross country season

Click here for meet results