TIGERS RACE NATION’S BEST AT GREAT LAKES CHALLENGE

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Olivet Nazarene University men's and women's cross country teams closed out their regular-season slate by competing at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge, one of the top meet's in the country, Saturday morning at Riverside Park.

The women's 5km race featured nine nationally-ranked teams and multiple others receiving votes in the national poll. The men's 8km included 11 ranked teams and more teams receiving votes, as well.

The Tigers showed why they deserve to be in the national rankings with the men finishing 15th and the women placing seventh in their respective races.

Brandon Armendarez led the ONU men. He nearly cracked the 24-minute plateau, finishing at 25:02.7 to place 33rd overall. Flynn Prather was just a few paces behind at 25:09.6 in 46th. Austin Rush was 73rd overall in 25:31.1, and Nick Janson was 93rd at 25:45.3. Charlie Bardwell rounded out the ONU scoring in 110th place at 25:58.1.

Carson Lehman (25:58.7), Austin Tice (26:12.5), Reese Devriendt (26:46.8), Chris Levario (27:24.7), and Kaden Smith (27:30.5) also ran for ONU.

Indiana Wesleyan, who ranked No. 5 in the NAIA, won the men's team title.

All five of the scorers for the Tiger women finished inside the top 60, led by Hannah Haag and Aleigha Garrison who both finished under the 19-minute mark. The former finished 24th overall in 18:26.6 while the latter placed 31st with a time of 18:35.9.

The next three Tigers all finished within six seconds of each other. Catherin White was 53rd overall in 19:03.1, narrowly edging Eleanor Fournier's time of 19:04.6 in 57th place. Claire Carter wrapped the ONU scoring in 61st place at 19:08.2.

Also running were Lauren Smith (19:30.3), Bella Hoffer (19:39.1), Taygen Beyer (19:39.7), Amelia Murray (19:50.2), and Heidi Heldt (20:29.7).

No. 2-ranked Taylor took the team crown in the women's race.

The Tigers will now enter the postseason. They will travel west to compete in the CCAC Championships at Crow Creek Park in Bettendorf, Iowa, on Nov. 9.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu