LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Oct 2, 2026) – A staple fixture of the ETSU cross country calendar comes around again on Saturday morning when the Bucs head to Louisville for the Swags Louisville Classic. The men's 8k race begins at 9 a.m. with the women's 5k race to follow at 9:45.
EVENT: Swags Louisville Classic
DATE: October 3, 2026, 9:00 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.
VENUE: E.P. Sawyer State Park (Louisville, Kentucky)
TV: RunnerSpace.com (Subscription Required)
LIVE STATS: Men's 8k |
Women's 5k
Seven men will travel to Louisville to represent the Bucs in the 8k race led by sophomore
Garrett Hawkins who comes off consecutive top five finishes in the USC Upstate Eye Opener and the Hokie Invitational, running a 24:42.9 at the latter event and finishing fourth that day.
Hayden Waleski crossed the line eighth in Blacksburg with a 25:06.9 and has set a new personal best time in consecutive races, and
Wesley Luisi finished 14th at the Hokie invitational with a 25:46.9, also a personal best.
Nate Hillis,
Josh Hunt,
Nolan Pedota, and freshman
Caden Costello round out the entry list, with Costello also coming off a personal best 26:08.0 in Blacksburg.
The women's cross country team sends 11 runners led by sophomore
Mackenzie Armstrong who has set personal bests in both the 5k and 6k runs in the first two races of the season. Her last 5k time was an 18:43.7 at the Eye Opener in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on September 4, a performance which earned her SoCon Women's Athlete of the Week.
Deena Ludtke ran an 18:52.0 in the Eye Opener, and
Madalyn Mahoney has the third fastest 5k time in 2026 with a 19:17.4.
Ava Berkheimer,
Eliza Everett,
McKenzie Fitzgerald,
Gracie Franklin,
Aubrey Jones,
Paige Remillard,
Hannah Robinson, and
AJ Thomas complete the lineup for the Bucs.
The Bucs have a long and storied history with Louisville cross country races. Ten of the top 25 8k times and five of the top 25 5k times in the program's record books have been set at the Louisville Classic, including the second fastest time in each race.
Jason Bowers ran a 23:14.3 at the Live in Lou Classic 8k race on September 29, 2023, and Lindsey Stallworth posted a 16:59.8 in the 5k on October 2, 2021.
For more information on ETSU cross country, go to ETSUBucs.com.
