By Saints men’s cross country maintains a top 25 ranking following the Billings and Michigan meet. The men’s team had an impressive performance at the Yellowjackets/Battlin’ Bears Open on Oct. 6 in Billings, Montana.
The men’s team placed second overall in the race, beating multiple NCAA Division II schools and Frontier conference opponents, coming out with a No. 16 national ranking in the NAIA.
Following the Billings meet, the team headed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the Great Lakes Challenge on October 21st.
The race featured 15 teams in the top 25.
Unfortunately, the Great Lakes Challenge did not go as expected for the men’s team, placing 11th and falling short to conference foes Montana Tech and Rocky Mountain College. The men’s team’s national ranking dropped from No. 16 to No. 25 following the meet.
“Billings was probably our best race team-wise for the season,” said Bryce Gardner, a sophomore civil engineering major from Spokane, Washington. “We really came together as a group, and everyone performed well.”
With a rocky finish in Michigan, the men’s cross-country team is frustrated but keeps their eyes forward.
“Michigan was not our day – it was the worst race of the season,” said Gardner. “We got bumped to 25 in the rankings, and we are frustrated right now but anxious to get back to it and defend the two-time title.”
The men’s team is working hard and preparing to defend the consecutive conference titles for the upcoming Frontier Conference Cross Country Championships on Nov. 3 in Great Falls.
