Nico Walz Leads Men's Cross Country to First Meet win since 2021

September 9, 2023

IRVING, Texas - The University of Dallas men's cross country team hosted the annual University of Dallas Cross Country Invitational 5k on Saturday.  They took home first place for the first team meet win since the 2021 UD Invitational.

The men managed to beat most of the morning heat, but still battled a tough, technical course.  Though it didn't appear to be much of a battle, as the Crusaders took the one, two, and three spots.

Senior Nico Walz set a course PR and took home first place with a time of 18:30.8, recording the first individual win for the program since Greg Pivarunas won the STLCOP Invitational in October of 2007.  Freshmen Thomas Skendzel and Bruce Reed took second and third place, respectively, in their first race on the difficult UD course.  

James Latour and Paul Simko finished sixth and seventh, respectively, with Simko recording a course PR with a time of 20:16.1.  Alexsandr Kulda battled cramps in the final 800 yards, finishing in 14th place to round out the field for Dallas.

After the meet, all the teams gathered together and observed the 22nd anniversary of 9/11 with a moment of silence followed by a prayer led by graduate assistant Caleb Clayton.

"This was a great low-key meet that boosted the confidence of our athletes.  I wasn't concerned with times in this race because of how tough this course is, it was all about our strategy," said head coach Nick Schneigert.  "We had a strategy, we stuck to it, and those strategies were the reason we were able to win both the men's and women's races.  Now we have to prepare for the big Texas Tech meet next week.  It was a great race for both teams today, and I am very proud of them!"

The Texas Tech Open will take place next Friday, Sept. 15.