Men's Regional Results
Women's Regional Results
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — For the third straight year, the Minnesota State University Moorhead men's cross country team is headed back to the national meet. This year, the Dragons will be joined by senior women's runner Molly Montonye.

The Dragon men, led by a top 10 finish from senior Cody Christ, finished fourth at the Central Region meet on Saturday at Yankton Trails Park in Sioux Falls, S.D. Montonye qualified for nationals for the first time in cross country by placing fourth overall to lead the MSUM women to a seventh-place finish.

The top four teams and the top three individuals not on a qualifying team advanced to the nationals which will be held on Nov. 19 in St. Leo, Fla. The top 25 in each division earned all-region honors as Christ and sophomore Josh Young gained the honor on the men's side and Montonye and senior MaKenzie Smith accomplished the feat on the women's side.

The men finished with 147 points, well ahead of fifth-place Lindenwood which was at 201. Augustana won the men's side at 65 with Missouri Southern second, and Northwest Missouri State third at 83.

"It says a lot about where our program has come the last six years," MSUM cross country coach Ryan Milner said of making nationals for a third straight year. "The expectation now is we're going to be there and get better every time we go."

Christ paced the men with a ninth-place finish in the 10K, crossing the line with a time of 31:27.36.  He earned all-region honors with his highest-finish at a regional meet.

"He had a good run," Milner said. "He mixed it up with that top group of guys between second and 10th place. He finished where we needed him to."

Young was 15th in 31:37.18 to also earn all-region honors.
 

"It's what I have come to expect from him," Milner said. "He understands what it takes to race at a high level and goes out and executes."

Senior Brady Speicher was 30th in 32:14.60, while freshman Nadir Yusuf was 39th in 32:26.70 to give the Dragons four runners in the top 40. Sophomore Joshua Ernst was 54th in 32:45.07, followed by junior Jay Biwer in 67th in 32:58.93 and freshman Logan Spooner in 113th in 33:49.05.

"We had a good team run," Milner said. "Any time someone has an off day, someone steps up and fill the void."

Led by Montonye, the Dragon women finished in seventh. Montonye picked up all-region honors with her highest finish at a regional meet (fourth).  She finished with a 6K time of 20:22.77.

"She had a good run," Milner said. "We had some runners she was keying off of and wanted to finish in front of. She started with a fairly conservative pace but worked her way up and finished where we needed her."

Smith also earned all-region honors by placing 16th in 21:25.97.

"It was a good race for her," Milner said.

Sophomore Marissa Carlson was 42nd in 22:01.36 followed by freshman Kathryn Sistrunk in 46th in 22:07.68, giving MSUM four runners in the top 50. Senior Mindy Kraft was 95th in 23:02.95 while sophomore Alicia Swenson was 160 in 23:02.95. Freshman Jenna Wegscheid was 177th in 25:13.61.

The national meet will be held in St. Leo, Fla., on Nov. 19.