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Cross Country Preview - Dragon Twilight - 9/4/26

Moorhead Set to Host 11th Annual Dragon Twilight Invitational

9/2/2026 12:00:00 PM | By: Nolan Schmidt

MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Minnesota State Moorhead cross country begins the 2026 season this weekend as MSUM hosts the 11th annual Dragon Twilight Invitational on Friday. The women's 5k race will begin at 8:10 p.m. with the men's 6k run set to follow at 8:40 p.m.

Live video and results will be available at msumdragons.com. Please note that Midco Sports Plus is the new streaming home for all MSUM athletic events.

Quick Notes

Preseason Buzz...The Dragon women were picked to finish 10^th in the NSIC preseason coaches' poll behind 96 points. On the men's side, Moorhead was selected to finish second in the league, earning 182 points and a first-place vote. Senior Katelyn Kennedy and fifth-year Chase Hoechst were noted as the MSUM 'athletes to watch' in 2026. Kennedy, a senior from Brainerd, Minn., earns MSUM's 'preseason athlete to watch' honor following a strong junior campaign. The senior was Moorhead's top finisher at the NSIC Cross Country Championships with a 6k season best time of 23:07.8. Kennedy was also the top Dragon at the NCAA Central Region Championships. The senior marked the 11^th-fastest 5k in program history at last season's Dragon Twilight, finishing at 18:47.2. Hoechst is coming off a strong 2025 cross country campaign, led by an All-NSIC First Team finish. The Bismarck, N.D., product finished fourth at the conference championships a season ago, clocking a 25:11.7. Hoechst was also a USTFCCCA All-Central Region performer for the Dragons in 2025, finishing 24^th overall at the region race. He finished with a 31:24.5 10k mark, which is now the eighth-fastest in MSUM history.

Coach Speak...Head cross country coach Ryan Milner has this to say on his women's squad ahead of 2026: "What excites me most is the mix we have this year. We have experienced returners who know what it takes to compete at the NSIC level, and then you add a transfer like Ava Dunnigan, who's coming in with exceptional talent, and it just raises the level for everybody," said head coach Ryan Milner. "When you combine that with consistency and team-first mentality this group already has, I think we're going to see some strong performances throughout the season."

More Coach Speak...Milner added this about his talented men's group: "Our men's team is poised for a strong 2026 campaign. We have the returning NSIC Champion, Jared Gregoire back, along with most of our 2025 roster returning," said Milner, who enters his 10^th season as leader of the Dragon harriers this fall. "On top of that, we're welcoming a talented group of freshmen and transfers who are ready to compete for spots in our top seven."