CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Freshman Ashley Schmitt (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) paced four Bradley women's runners and freshman Evan Tuisl (Clinton, Iowa/Clinton) led four Braves in the men's 8K Friday afternoon at the Illini Open, in the cross country teams' final meet before next week's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championships.

Schmitt ran a season-best 5K time of 20:18 to finish 24th in the women's race, while junior Chelsea Griffin (Petersburg, Ill./PORTA) clocked a career-best time of 20:28 and was 27th overall to highlight Friday's action for the women's cross country team.

Tuisl was Bradley's top finisher in the men's 8K, placing 16th with a time of 27:45.  Fellow freshman Aaron Peck (Moline, Ill./Moline) crossed the line 32 seconds behind Tuisl in 18th (28:17) to lead a pack of three Bradley runners. 

The men's and women's cross country teams return to action Sunday, Oct. 30 at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.  The men's 8K is slated to start at 10:30 a.m. (EDT) with the women's 5K is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. (EDT) at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.