TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The cross country season is officially underway for Indiana Wesleyan University as the Wildcats took part in the Indiana Intercollegiate on Friday night in Terre Haute, Indiana.

The women's team placed eighth of 22 teams with the men placing 10th of 20. The Indiana Intercollegiate hosts most all Indiana schools from all associations.

Indiana Wesleyan women scored 227 points and were the top scoring NAIA school in the meet. Indiana University narrowly won the invitational over Purdue University by a 47-52 margin. Butler earned third place with a team score of 102.

Pacing the Wildcats was junior Kelsey Devereaux in 29th place. She finished the 5,000-meter race in 19 minutes and 14 seconds. Sophomore Beka Bentle led a pack of three Wildcats in 42nd place in 19:43, with senior Laura Dziagwa (44th, 19:47) and senior Kailee Whitaker (49th, 19:53) close behind.

Rounding out the scoring for Indiana Wesleyan was junior Cassidy Wagner in 63rd place as she crossed the finish line at 20:22.

Alison Bishel from Ball State University won the meet in a time of 17:28.

In the men's race, the Wildcats finished in the top half. IWU was 10th of 20 teams and the second NAIA program in the standings.

Indiana dominated the race with a team score of 20 points. The five scoring Hoosiers finished between second and sixth place. Host Indiana State University was second with 55 points and Purdue ended third with 100. Indiana Wesleyan scored 307 points.

IWU sophomore Ethan Naylor was the top runner on the day for the Wildcats with a 39th place finish. Naylor ended the 8,000-meter course in a time of 26:56.

Senior Doug Alles crossed the line in 27:24 for a 55th place finish and freshman Matt Mitchell was 69th at a time of 27:50. Freshman Andrew Albert was 71st (27:53) and sophomore Ethan Laudermilch earned 73rd (28:01)

Butler's Rob Mullett was the men's champion as he defeated the 143 runner field in a time of 24:45.

Indiana Wesleyan next competes at the GRIAC Invitational in Falcon Heights, Minnesota on Saturday, September 26.

Click for MEN'S and WOMEN'S results