Preview: John McKenzie Invitational

Friday, September 1

Fort Worth, Texas

7:45 AM

TCU

John McKenzie Invitational

Preview: John McKenzie Invitational

8/30/2023 7:45:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

Live Results

Cross country opens the 2023 season with a home meet at AP Ranch

FORT WORTH – TCU's cross country programs begin the 2023 season hosting the inaugural John McKenzie Invitational on Friday, Sept. 1 at AP Ranch. The collegiate women's 5K begins at 7:45 a.m. and the men's 5K starts at 8:15 a.m.

Meet Information
Date: Sept. 1, 2023
Women's 5K / 7:45 a.m. • Men's 5K / 8:15 a.m.
Location: AP Ranch • 1590 FM 2871, Fort Worth, TX 76126
Live Results: Here

The Squad
TCU's 2023 roster boasts several veterans as well as lots of newcomers. After her excellent debut season, Gracie Morris is poised to lead the way for the Horned Frogs on the women's side. Morris was the first NCAA Championships qualifier for the Frogs since 2016 after placing second overall at the NCAA South Central Regional.

The women's team also returns Mariana Martinez, Peyton McQuillan and Jasmin Muhammad-Graham – all seniors. London Culbreath is expected to make her cross country debut after competing for the Frogs in both the 2023 indoor and outdoor track seasons.

On the men's side, Stone Burke and Noah Winters lead the way after consistently being the first two runners to cross the finish line for the Frogs last season. The men's roster features lots of experience, highlighted by 12 upperclassmen. Graydon Morris will also make his TCU cross country debut after competing for the Frogs in the indoor track and field season in 2022.

Recapping 2022
TCU had stellar performances to kick off the season at the ACU Naimdu Classic. Gracie Morris placed third (13:52.8), Mariana Martinez took fifth (14:36.3) and Jenna Buchanan claimed ninth (14:49.0) to earn the team win for the Frogs.

Both men's and women's teams earned second-place finishes at the UTA Season Opener, with Gracie Morris winning her first collegiate cross country race (17:11.5). Stone Burke (15:29.6) placed sixth and was the top Frog on the men's side.

Along with being TCU's top finisher at the Big 12 Championships, Gracie Morris was the first Horned Frog to qualiy for the NCAA Cross Country Championships since 2016. She placed 142nd overall. To advance to the NCAA Cross Country Championships, Morris ran a personal-best 20:17.1 to finish second in the women's 6K at the NCAA South Central Regional. She recorded the highest individual finish for TCU ever on the women's side at the South Central Regional since 2003 when Mary Kinyanjui won the meet.

The Inaugural John McKenzie Invitational
Hosted at AP Ranch in Fort Worth, the season-opening meet will honor John McKenzie and his legacy in the DFW area.

"If you were to talk to anyone that's connected to TCU cross country and track and field in the past 30 or 40 years, he's had an influence on all of them," Khadevis Robinson said. "He is so involved and connected, and it's an honor to recognize him this way."

McKenzie coached at TCU and North Texas from 1971-1996 and has been a staple in DFW track and field. A 1964 graduate of TCU, McKenzie was a letterwinner in track and field in his time as a student-athlete.

TCU will host several teams in the college portion of the meet, including UT-Arlington. Mavericks' head coach John Sauerhage, who has been at the helm of the program since 1996 and a long-time colleague of McKenzie, said he is thrilled his teams are attending the John McKenzie Invitational.

"It's an honor to run in the meet named after John," Sauerhage said. "He cares about everyone, loves track and field and loves helping kids and young coaches develop. It's perfect."