Sophomore Kyle Grove led the Bulldogs in their first competition of the 2026 season, placing sixth overall at the Spartan Invitational hosted by Michigan State Friday morning.
 
Grove completed the 8k course in a time of 24:36.1, leading the Butler men to a second-place finish in the team standings.
 
Head coach Matt Roe held out several men from the race, including the four Bulldogs with previous NCAA Championship experience. The Butler men are ranked No. 16 nationally in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason poll that was announced Sept. 1.
 
Host Michigan State won the invitational, claiming seven of the top eight finishers alongside Grove. The Spartans (score of 15) were followed by Butler (64), Ohio State (103), Ohio (119), and Southern Indiana (131) in the team standings. There were 23 teams and a total of 312 competitors in the field.
 
The Forest Akers East Golf Course utilized for Friday's meet will also host the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Nov. 13.
 
The Bulldog Men (8k):
6) Kyle Grove, 24:36.1
12) Connor Latouf, 24:48.4
13) Mick Temple, 24:49.2
19) Asher Propst, 25:03.1
20) Owen Whitney, 25:06.4
24) Kayden Elliott, 25:12.2
33) Eli Ilg, 25:29.1
39) Caelan D'Onofrio, 25:40.4
79) John Libs, 26:29.4
145) Sam Hopp, 27:31.6

All of the Butler men other than Grove and Propst made their Bulldog cross country debut in the race.

Junior Hannah Moore paced the Bulldogs in the women's race, completing the 6k course in 21:39.9. She was 24^th overall.
 
The Bulldogs placed fifth in the women's team standings. Host Michigan State won the Invitational with a team score of 40, placing seven Spartans among the top 15. Toledo was second (42), followed by Michigan (81), Ohio (111), Butler (162), and Ohio State (165). Allison Kuzma of Hillsdale won the race in a time of 20:43.7. The women's 6k featured 24 teams and 283 runners.
 
The Butler Women (6k):
24) Hannah Moore, 21:39.9
44) Carys Glyn-Jones, 22:10.4
52) Lila Volkers, 22:22.3
54) Poppy Healy, 22:23.9
55) Ella Olthof, 22:24.2
57) Hana Boggess, 22:25.1
81) Mckenna Mazeski, 23:04.0
91) Callie Bentley, 23:06.8
95) Susanne Estepp, 23:11.6
106) Caterina Perego, 23:22.3
135) Emily Berger, 23:48.4
 
Friday marked the Butler cross country debut for Healy, Boggess, Bentley, Estepp, Perego, and Berger.

Up Next: The Butler men will compete at the site of the 2026 NCAA Championships as they travel to Terre Haute, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 19 for the John McNichols Invitational on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course. The women are next in action Oct. 2 at the Joe Piane Invitational hosted by Notre Dame.