At the Heartland Conference Championship in Wichita, KS, the Oklahoma Christian University men’s cross-country team took third place with 72 team points.
The Eagles had four runners named to the All-Heartland team, one on the first team and three on the honorable mention list.
Senior Kyle Broaddrick placed the highest for the Eagles, finishing ninth in the 81-runner field at 25:46.4 and receiving first team All-Heartland honors.
Senior Sisay Gillock finished 13th with a time of 26:04 and became the first Oklahoma Christian runner to be named an All-Heartland runner four times, as he was named to the honorable mentions list.
“I felt prepared and ready to race going into it,” Gillock said. “I think most of my teammates felt the same way. Coach Miller did a great job preparing us both mentally and physically for the Heartland Conference.”
Junior Evan McQuirk placed 14th in 26:11 and freshman Caleb Bozarth took 17th in 26:25.4. Both McQuirk and Bozarth were named to the honorable mentions list alongside Gillock.
The fifth runner for the Eagles was sophomore Derek Espinoza at 19th with a time of 26:28.4.
This race marks the first time the team did not post a top-two finish since the Eagles began competing in cross-country events for the Heartland Conference.
Other runners for Oklahoma Christian were senior Emory Lobley, who placed 22nd at 26:37.1, freshman Colton Meyers in 27th at 26:48.6, sophomore Kelton Reynolds in 32nd at 27:05.1, junior Jake Weith in 33rd at 17:07.7, junior Trevor Talley in 34th at 27:10.8 and junior Ben Reed in 61st at 29:16.1.
The Lady Eagles competed on the women’s side of the Heartland Conference Championshipfinishing eighth in the eight-team competition with a team score of 225.
Sophomore Kelsey Castillo led all runners for Oklahoma Christian, finishing in 30th in the 82-woman field at 24:38.6.
Freshman Madison Rutherford took 55th in 26:33.4 and freshman Michaiah Chock finished her first collegiate race in 56th at 26:33.5.
Freshmen Karlene Calavaza, 74th in 28:03.1, and Ellie Little, 75th in 28:06.0, rounded out the five-woman roster for Oklahoma Christian.
Both teams will travel to Canyon, TX Nov. 4 to compete in the NCAA Division II South Central Region Championship. Oklahoma Christian must place well in this event to move on to the NCAA Division II Championship Nov. 18.
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