COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Quincy University women's cross country team competed at the Brian T. Simpson Invitational in Columbia, Missouri, on Saturday, marking the first appearance at the meet for the Hawks.

Quincy was led by Emily Faletti, while freshman Caroline Schoenekase delivered a standout performance in the 5K, setting a new personal record and moving up in the Quincy women's 5K record book.

Faletti paced the Quincy group with a time of 19:56.9, continuing to provide a strong presence for the Hawks as the season progresses.

Schoenekase followed with an impressive time of 20:08.6, finishing just over 11 seconds behind Faletti and establishing a new personal best in the 5K.

Schoenekase's performance was a major highlight for Quincy, as the freshman shaved more than 32 seconds off her previous personal record of 20:41.2, which she recorded at the Larry Young Invitational earlier this season.

Her new time of 20:08.6 moves her into sixth place in the Quincy women's 5K record book, marking a significant milestone early in her collegiate career. The improvement reflects Schoenekase's continued progress and gives the Hawks another strong performance to build on as they approach the postseason.

Mia Robnett rounded out the Quincy lineup with a time of 26:38.2, completing the 5K and contributing to the team's effort at the invitational.

With all three runners gaining another opportunity to compete, the meet provided valuable experience as the Hawks continue to prepare for the final stretch of the season.

The Brian T. Simpson Invitational gave Quincy a new course and a different field to test itself against, while Schoenekase's record-book performance offered an encouraging sign of the team's continued development.

The Hawks will now turn their attention toward the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships on November 7, where they will look to carry their progress into the conference postseason.