Northfield, Minn. – The Gustavus men’s cross country team posted a score of 205 to finish in ninth place out of a field 16 Division II and III teams from around the region. Winning the meet on its home course was St. Olaf College with 52 points and three individuals finishing inside the top 10. The University of Sioux Falls placed second with a score of 84, while Carleton rounded out the podium in third with a score of 103.
Pacing the Gusties in 14th place overall was senior Joe Renier (Cambridge, Minn.) who was the only member of the squad to finish inside the top 20. Renier improved on his previous 8k time of 27:22 at the Saint John’s Invitational by crossing the finish line in 25:57.3 this Saturday in Northfield.
Winning the race was Matt Horan of the University of Sioux Falls who turned in a time of 25:01.4. Grant Wintheiser of St. Olaf finished runner-up in 25:06.2, and Devin Allbaugh of MSU, Mankato took third in 25:09.4.
Gustavus’s scoring runners included Evan Jones (Fr., Pella, Iowa) in 37th (26:58.2), Thomas Knobbe (West Des Moines, Iowa) in 38th (27:00.3), Nate Hanson (So., Stillwater, Minn.) in 57th (27:25.9), and Matt Carlson (Jr., Roseville, Minn.) in 59th (27:31.5).
The Gustavus cross country teams will be off next weekend before traveling to Eau Claire, Wis. to take part in the Blugold Invitational being held Friday, Oct. 4.