Runners start off the race at the Cougar Unleashed Homecoming Run.

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EDWARDSVILLE – Students, alumni, along with faculty and staff members of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville kicked off their busy Homecoming Saturday morning with the inaugural SIUE Cougars Unleashed Homecoming Run.

The 5K, 10K and 1-mile fun run gave the diverse group the opportunity to join together in Cougar Nation and run among one another in camaraderie.  

Ready... set... go! Chancellor Randy Pembrook and Eddie the Cougar pose for a photo at the starting line. SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook got in on the action as well, participating in the fun run with SIUE mascot Eddie the Cougar. 

Alan Kehrer, President of the SIUE Alumni Association, was extremely pleased with the race’s turn out. Over 250 participants, including students, faculty, alumni along with some of the area’s most dedicated runners, came out to Birger Hall for the race.

“The concept was that we wanted to get alumni to come back for Homecoming,” Kehrer said. “Part of our mission is to mentor and partner with students, so we offered the run to students for free. They came out in droves, which is fantastic. To get them together and intermingle and get the alumni to come back and visit the school. After they head home and get cleaned up, we will encourage them to head down to the tailgate this afternoon.”

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Eddie wasn't the only furry creature that ran in the race. This grinning pup ran the race with her owner. In the main event this Homecoming weekend, the SIUE men’s soccer team will face off against Drake University at Korte Stadium.

“We’re really impressed with the crowd that came out,” Cathy Taylor, Director of Constituent Relations at the Alumni Association said. “We hope to continue to increase alumni engagement during Homecoming Week for years to come. This is just the beginning and we’re just getting started. We’re looking forward to adding new events and opportunities for people to have more reasons to come back to campus.”

With over 100,000 members in the association, the group works to support past, present and future students by providing scholarships, networking opportunities, events and more.

“Every penny of proceeds that we make goes to our scholarship fund,” Kehrer said. “Every year, we award scholarships to students who are current and incoming. They’re the best of the best—they’re the ones who do good in high school, are very active and have a need. We work to take care of them and help them out.”

Michael Braun, 36, was the first male to cross the 5K finish line with a time of 18:50. Cindy Lukowski, 44, was the first woman across the line with a time of 22:54.6.

More race results, courtesy of Final Lap Race Management, can be found by clicking here

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