Butler's 2025 season begins Friday as the Bulldogs make the drive to Fairborn, Ohio to compete in the Mike Baumer Cross Country Classic. 
 
Both the men and women will run on the 5K course at Fairborn Community Park, just outside of Dayton. The men's race begins at 6 p.m., while the women will start at 6:45 p.m.
 
Head coach Matt Roe's squad will include 15 runners -- seven from the men's side and eight on the women's side. 
 
For the men, it's a young group who will be toeing the line for the Bulldogs. Matteo Rosio, Aedan Rendek and Asher Propst bring previous competitive experience in a Bulldog uniform to the meet. Redshirt freshmen Kyle Grove, Charlie Jones, Caden Ozbun, and Brendan Thomas will make their respective Butler cross country debuts. 
 
The women's team experience comes from redshirt senior Elsa Rusthoven and junior Mckenna Mazeski. They will be joined by sophomores Camille El Baghlouli, Kylie Cline and Alejandra Sierazy. Freshmen Lila Volkers, Carys Glyn-Jones and Cameron Kirtley will compete for the first time as a Bulldog. Rusthoven is Butler's top returning finisher from the 2024 NCAA Great Lakes Regional and earned an individual berth to the 2023 NCAA Championships.
 
Wright State serves as the host of Friday's meet. Butler and the Raiders will be joined in the field by 10 other schools.
 
Live results for the meet will be available with a link posted to ButlerSports.com.