NDSU Cross Country: Men Place Fifth While Women Take Third to Cap Off 2026 Season

Both cross-country teams surged and struggled in Minnesota at the Summit League Championships, which were hosted by the University of St. Thomas at the Highland Nine-Hole Golf Course.

The men placed fifth out of seven teams in the Summit League. South Dakota State won the meet by 11 points and claimed their tenth consecutive Summit League Championship. The University of North Dakota was runner-up with 45 points.

The South Dakota Coyotes placed third with 83 points, and Oral Roberts was fourth with 121 points. NDSU finished with 122 points in the 8K race.

Veteran runner Will Gerber led the Bison, placing 15th with a time of 24:51.1. Ethan Moe finished second for NDSU in 22nd place at 25:06.6, and Brady Gross rounded out the top 30 in 26th place at 25:18.3.

For the men, a lot of results came from experienced runners like Gerber and Moe. Both of these athletes are idols for the younger runners, showcasing how they manage pace and different conditions in North Dakota, Illinois and other states they compete in.

Quinn Roehl placed 30th with a good time of 25:23.7, and Fargo Davies alum Regan Bosch finished in 34th with a time of 25:33.5.

Baby Bison Owen Johnson looked really impressive in his Summit League Championship debut. He placed 35th, and as a freshman, his results will only improve.

The women placed third in the conference championship. North Dakota ran away with 22 points and had five runners in the top ten, including three in the top five. South Dakota was the runner-up with 60 points, including two in the top five.

NDSU was third with 67 points and four runners in the top 20, followed by SDSU with 106 points.

In a twist of history, NDSU has finished top three as a team in the Summit League Championship for 18 years since 2009.

Transfer runner Jade Rypkema placed eighth in the 6K with a time of 21:00.1. Sophomore Logan Harz placed tenth, running a 21:06.9, and junior runner Mia Hoffmann finished 11th at 21:14.3.

Kylie Nelson placed 16th with a time of 21:37.7 to pave the way for a successful season for NDSU. Julia Link locked up the scoring for NDSU in 24th place, running a time of 21:59.8. Those points were crucial for NDSU to attain their place in the top three.

For top-fourteen performances, Rypkema, Harz and Hoffmann all received All-Summit League Second Team honors.

Both teams will race at the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 13 in Ames, Iowa, home of the Iowa State Cyclones.