Men's Cross Country takes 7th at USCAA Championship
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The University of Dallas men's cross country team wrapped up the 2017 season with the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Championships on Friday. The Crusaders scored 247 points and finished seventh place out of 22 participating teams. This improved UD's spot in the team standings from 2016's 11th place result. There were 166 total runners on the 8k course that was described as "super windy and muddy" by Dallas Head Coach Matthew Barber.
Joseph Kilmer (Rockville, Md.) posted the best time for the Crusaders with a 28:33 result for 22nd place. He was the top finisher for Dallas in all seven races in his freshman campaign. Joseph Boyle (St. Paul, Minn.) and Elijah Depew (Grove City, Pa.) finished within a second apart for 45th and 48th in the standings. The duo just cracked the first 50 spots with 29:51 and 29:52 respective times.
The next three finishers for Dallas all ran in 2016 in the USCAA Championship. Peter deTar (Couer d'Alene, Idaho) ran in his final cross country meet for UD with a 31:17 time. Andrew Maal (Pueblo West, Colo.) came in shortly after with a 31:36-clip. That time improved over last year's score in this same race by 23 seconds. Maximilian Wilson (Houston, Texas) also bested his time last year (33:32) by clipping 45 seconds away on Friday.
Peter Hedlesky (Florissant, Mo.) was the fourth freshmen that competed for the Crusaders, as the youthful squad ended the fall with their fourth 8k and third of the past four that distance.
SUNY Delhi repeated as USCAA Championship winners with 23 points. SUNY ESF followed with 78 points and Clearly University scored 109 to complete the top three. The overall winner placed the top four spots including individual winner, Kobie Lane (25:58). Nick Arnecke and Jon Messler tied with 26:06 times each, and Lucas Reilly registered a 25:59 result.