COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The College of Saint Benedict cross country team recorded 10 collegiate personal-best times in the 2026 season opener, as the Bennies finished sixth in the loaded UCCS Rust Buster, hosted by University of Colorado Colorado Springs Saturday, Sept. 5. 

 

Four Bennies finished in the top-50 of the 5k race, led by sophomore Daphne Grobstein (Golden Valley, Minn./Hopkins). Grobstein crossed the finish line with a time of 20:02.2, good for 41st. Junior Mollie Ping (Winona, Minn./Winona) finished 43rd with a personal-best time of 20:05.0. Senior Abby Bufkin (Colorado Springs, Colo./Cheyenne Mountain) notched a 46th-place finish in her hometown race behind a time of 20:08.6. Senior Anabella Witschen (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) rounded out the top-50 finishers, as her time of 20:20.8 was good for 49th. 

 

First-years Michelle Chicas Melendez (Worthington, Minn./Worthington), Brynn Heinsohn (White Bear Lake, Minn./White Bear Lake Area), Jaclyn Jurek (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area), Signe Linne (Richfield, Minn./Richfield), Madison Petersen (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter), Addy Strommes (Eden Valley, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins), Julianne Thomas (Blaine, Minn./Totino-Grace) and Sophia Wolf (Spokane, Wash./Lewis and Clark) all made their collegiate debuts en route to establishing personal-best marks. Senior Bailey Link (Brush, Colo./Brush), also racing in her home state, rewrote her personal-best time in a 5k race.  

 

The Bennies return to action with their home opener Friday, Sept. 18, as they host the Toni St. Pierre Invitational. The race is set to begin at 6 p.m. at River Oaks Golf Club. 

 

*indicates collegiate PR 

41. Daphne Grobstein, 20:02.2 

43. Mollie Ping, 20:05.0* 

46. Abby Bufkin, 20:08.6 

49. Anabella Witschen, 20:20.8 

53. Julia Babineau, 20:49.8 

55. Sophia Wolf, 20:51.2* 

57. Bailey Link, 20:52.3* 

58. Jaclyn Jurek, 20:52.4* 

62. Addy Giles, 21:14.4 

67. Taylor Radaich, 21:44.2 

69. Brynn Heinsohn, 21:51.8* 

71. Kaline Merges, 22:00.0 

73. Madison Petersen, 22:13.1* 

74. Mariah Brooks, 22:17.3 

77. Annika Johnson, 22:39.1 

78. Signe Linne, 22:44.6* 

79. Erin O'Connor, 22:45.2 

81. Julianne Thomas, 24:40.5* 

82. Addy Strommes, 25:12.4* 

83. Lauren Masica, 25:36.4 

84. Parker Pollis, 25:44.0 

85. Alyse Williamschen, 25:47.8 

86. Michelle Chicas Melendez, 26:55.5*