RUNNERS HEAD TO BRIAR CLIFF

Saturday, October 1

Sioux City, IA

10:30 A.M.

South Dakota State University

Briar Cliff Invite

9/30/2022 2:03:00 PM | Cross Country, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

MEET 4: South Dakota State at Briar Cliff Invite

When	Saturday, Oct. 1 \| Women's Race at 10:30 a.m. \| Men's Race at 11:15 a.m.
Where	Adams Nature Preserve \| North Sioux City, SD
TV	None
Results	Live Results
Social Media	Twitter \| Facebook \| #LastPlay

BROOKINGS, SD – The South Dakota State University men's and women's cross country teams head down to North Sioux City, SD on Saturday for the Briar Cliff Invite.

Competition at the Adams Nature Preserve starts with the women's race at 10:30 a.m. followed by the men's race at 11:15 a.m.

LAST TIME OUT:

WOMEN
The South Dakota State University women's cross country team were led by a strong showing from Leah Hansen and claimed a top 12 group finish during the Roy Griak Invitational at the Les Bolstad Golf course on Friday.

Hansen was in the top 50 at each checkpoint of the women's 6k before finishing in 28^th with a time of 21:33.5. Mya Kizer came second for SDSU, taking 82^nd place in 22:22.7 for a personal best.

Also in the top 100 was Caitlin Bright, the third finisher for the Jacks; she clocked a 22:43.2 for 99^th place. Emma Ecker scored herself a PR, finishing 118^th in 23:09.7, while Kayla Christopherson claimed 120^th in 23:11.5.

Claire Beckman was next, crossing the finish line in 23:23.6 for 130^th place. Kadense Dooley clocked a 23:31.8 for a personal best and 135^th place while Grace Waage finished 142^nd and also earned a PR in 23:39.9.

Malorie Schmoll took 159^th in 23:56.5, Emma Gonzalez earned herself a PR in 24:21.0 for 173^rd place while teammate Nina Dawson finished close behind (175^th, 24:25.3, PR). Next was Jaide Geurts, who ran a 24:42.3 for a personal best and 185^th place.

A trio of runners finished within seconds of each other, led by Bridget Henne in 204^th with a time of 25:23.9. Sierra Watterud earned a PR in 25:27.9 for 206^th while Hannah Neusch was 208^th in 25:34.2. Rounding out the SDSU finishers was Hannah Nelson in 214^th place with a time of 26:06.3.

A total of 228 athletes competed in the Jack Johnson Women's Gold Competition while 20 teams scored runners.

MEN
SDSU placed eighth overall as a team in the men's 8k, led by Ben Olson's 18^th place finish in 24:38.7. Tom Breuckman was second for the Jacks, clocking a 25:05.4 for 42^nd place while Daniel Burkhalter finished 64^th in 25:25.1

Joseph Minor-Williams (72^nd, 25:32.7) and Max Selbach (77^th, 25:36.0) rounded out the first five finishes.

Also finished in the top 100 was Josh Becker, who took 85^th in 25:41.6 with Carter Knaus just behind, who finished 89^th in 25:44.3. Mason McDonald was next for SDSU, clocking a 26:08.1 for 111^th place as Ben Anteau jumped 35 places in the final 3k of the race, finish in 122^nd place with a time of 26:17.7.

Cody Larson also made quite the jump, improving 26 spots over the final leg of the race enroute to a 130^th place finish in 26:25.6. Lucas Caminiti was 156^th in 26:55.2 and Noah Stewart was right on his heels, taking 157^th with a time of 26:26.3.

Andrew Johnson clocked a PR of 27:13.0 in his first 8k race for 165^th place as Nathan Notgrass rounds out the Jackrabbit finishers in 168^th place in 27:23.0.

182 athletes competed in the Merril Fischbein Men's Gold Competition with 17 teams competing.

REGIONAL RANKINGS: The Week three Division I cross country rankings decided by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association were announced earlier this week with the Jackrabbit men moved up one spot to 9^th place in the Midwest Region as the SDSU women held 11^th.

SDSU MEN AND WOMEN PICKED FIRST IN PRESEASON POLL: SDSU swept the 2022 preseason coaches' rankings for the cross country season following a 2021 campaign that saw the Jackrabbit women win the team title for the second straight time and the men win for a sixth straight time.

2022 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL

South Dakota State (7) – 49
North Dakota State – 37
St. Thomas – 36
North Dakota (1) – 33
South Dakota – 30
Kansas City – 15
Western Illinois – 13
Oral Roberts – 11

2022 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL

South Dakota State (8) – 64
North Dakota State (1) – 56
South Dakota – 47
North Dakota – 42
St. Thomas – 40
Kansas City – 25
Omaha – 20
Western Illinois – 17
Oral Roberts – 13

ATHLETES TO WATCH: Three Jackrabbits – two men and one woman – were recognized as Summit League Athletes to Watch

Joseph Minor-Williams, South Dakota State
Sr. | Minneapolis, Minn.

Garnered All-League first team honors with a sixth-place finish at the League championships, clocking an 8K time of 24:58.28
Took 41^st overall at the NCAA Midwest Regional after clocking a 10K personal-best time of 31:28.5 to help the Jacks to an eighth-place team finish

Ben Olson, South Dakota State
Sr. | Coon Rapids, Minn.

Earned All-League first team accolades after finishing runner-up behind teammate Gabe Peters at the 2021 League championships
Clocked a personal-best 8K time of 24:38.3 at the League championships
Finished 37^th overall at the NCAA Midwest Regional in the 10K with a time of 31:22.2

Leah Hansen, South Dakota State
Jr. | Willmar, Minn.

Repeated as the League's individual champion leading the Jackrabbits to their second women's title in a row
Won the League championships in a 6K time of 21:03.78
Helped the Jacks to a 13^th place finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional after finishing 21^stoverall with a 6K time of 21:15.67

A LOOK AHEAD: SDSU cross country resumes for the women on Oct. 14 in Peoria, Illinois for the Bradley Pink Invite while the men compete on Oct. 15 at the Weis-Crockett Invitational in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Start times are set for 3 p.m. and 9 a.m., respectively.

-GoJacks.com-