SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University men's and women's cross country teams will be in action in a pair of meets this weekend as one group heads east to compete at the Mount Marty Cross Country Invitational in Yankton, South Dakota, while the other group heads south to the RMAC Cross Country Championships in Las Vegas, New Mexico. The pair of races in Yankton are slated for a 3 p.m. MST start at the Fox Run Golf Course on Thursday, October 24, while the pair of races in Las Vegas are set for a 10:45 a.m. MST start at the Gene Torres Golf Course on Saturday, October 26.
 
RACE DETAILS (MOUNT MARTY CROSS COUNTRY INVITATIONAL)
Date & Times: Thursday, October 24 – women's 6K race at 3 p.m. MST (4 p.m. CST) and men's 8K race at 3:40 p.m. MST (4:40 p.m. CST)
Location: Yankton, S.D. – Fox Run Golf Course
 
RACE DETAILS (RMAC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS)
Date & Times: Saturday, October 26 – men's 8K race at 10:45 a.m. MST and the women's 6K race at 11:35 a.m. MST
Location: Las Vegas, N.M. – Gene Torres Golf Course
 
BLACK HILLS STATE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY STORYLINES

• Black Hills State started the season with a trio of top-10 finishes, beginning the year with a third place finish at the Gage McSpadden Memorial before going on to win the Blue Hawk Invitational. In their most recent meet, the Yellow Jackets secured a ninth place finish at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational.
• Gavin Kuhlenbeck continues to be the top runner for BHSU this season, notching top-5 finishes in all three meets, including a victory at the Blue Hawk Invitational with an 8K time of 25:28.3. He has notched career-best 6K (18:51.5) and 8K (23:57.6) times this season at the Gage McSpadden Memorial and UAH Charges Cross Country Invitational respectively. His 8K time in Huntsville two weekends ago set a new school record at the distance, marking the first-ever sub-24 minute time.
• Braik Hurm has collected a trio of top-50 finishes this season, highlighted by a top-5 finish at the Blue Hawk Invitational as he posted an 8K time of 26:38.8. He's recorded career-best 6K (19:48.0) and 8K (24:57.1) times at the Gage McSpadden Memorial and UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational respectively.
• Addison Red Fox has also finished within the top-50 of all three meets so far this season, which included a top-10 finish of seventh place at the Blue Hawk Invitational with an 8K time of 26:57.3. He has added career-best 6K (20:07.0) and 8K (24:56.5) times at the Gage McSpadden Memorial and UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational respectively.
• Turner Christians has posted a pair of top-15 finishes this year, earning a 12^th place finish at the Gage McSpadden Memorial with a career-best 6K time of 19:18.01, followed by a fifth place finish and 8K time of 26:46.6 at the Blue Hawk Invitational. In his most recent outing in Huntsville, he notched a career-best 8K time of 25:45.4 for a 115^th place finish.
• Dominic Eberle started the season with back-to-back top-20 finishes, earning a career-best 6K time of 19:29.5 as he ran to a 17^th place finish at the Gage McSpadden Memorial, followed by a fourth place finish and 8K time of 26:43.5 at the Blue Hawk Invitational. In his most recent outing at the UAH Chargers Invitational, he posted an 89^th place finish and a career-best 8K time of 25:25.2.
• David Standish has recorded a pair of top-30 finishes this season, highlighted by a top-10 finish as he crossed the line sixth at the Blue Hawk Invitational with an 8K time of 26:51.3. He has added career-best 6K (19:47.5) and 8K (25:38.5) times at the Gage McSpadden Memorial and the UAH Chargers Invitational respectively.
• Marcos Valerio has posted a pair of top-40 finishes this season, highlighted by a top-10 finish as he crossed the finish line eighth at the Blue Hawk Invitational with an 8K time of 27:02.3. In his most recent outing, he recorded a new career-best 8K time of 25:24.4 as he notched an 87^th place finish at the UAH Chargers XC Invitational.
• Landrun Wiley has collected a pair of top-50 finishes this season, including a season-best finish of 14^th place at the Blue Hawk Invitational as he posted an 8K time of 27:34.3. He has added career-best 6K (20:19.3) and 8K (26:18.8) times at the Gage McSpadden Memorial and the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational respectively.
• Justyn France will be competing in his third race of the season, following a career-best 8K time of 25:32.1 with a 99^th place finish in his most recent outing at the UAH Chargers Invitational. He has also added one top-10 finish with a tenth place mark of 27:09.2 in the 8K race at the Blue Hawk Invitational.
• Wyatt Ostler and Alberto Spotted will be making their season debuts this weekend.
• Brian Medigovich is in his fourth season leading the Yellow Jacket cross country programs as the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country.

BLACK HILLS STATE MEN'S RUNNERS (MOUNT MARTY INVITATIONAL)

• Gavin Kuhlenbeck, Addison Red Fox, Braik Hurm, David Standish, Justyn France, and Wyatt Ostler

BLACK HILLS STATE MEN'S RUNNERS (RMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS)

• Marcos Valerio, Turner Christians, Dominic Eberle, Landrum Wiley, and Alberto Spotted

BLACK HILLS STATE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY STORYLINES

• Black Hills State started the season with a trio of top-10 finishes, beginning the year with a second place finish at the Gage McSpadden Memorial before going on to win the Blue Hawk Invitational with a perfect score of 15 points. In their most recent meet, the Yellow Jackets secured a tenth place finish at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational.
• Sylvia Brown continues to be the top runner for the Yellow Jackets, recording three top-10 finishes to begin the season. She notched her second career victory with a 6K time of 22:37.4, leading the way for a perfect team score, and then in her most recent outing posted a career-best 6K time of 21:14.2 with an eighth place finish at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational.
• Emma Hofmeister has gotten off to a strong start in her freshman campaign, tallying back-to-back top-10 finishes to begin the season, which included a career-best 4K time of 15:18.8 for eighth place at the Gage McSpadden Memorial and a second place finish with a 6K time of 23:18.2. In her most recent outing, she notched a career-best 6K time of 22:41.6 for 83^rd place at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational.
• Evie Boyd has notched a pair of top-15 finishes for BHSU this season as she began the year with an 11^th place finish and career-best 4K time of 15:31.1 at the Gage McSpadden Memorial, followed by a fifth place finish and 6K time of 23:42.9 at the Blue Hawk Invitational.
• Alexis Weiers has tallied a pair of top-20 finishes for the Yellow Jackets this season, recording a career-best 4K time of 15:49.4 for 17^th place in the season opening Gage McSpadden Memorial before a sixth place finish at the Blue Hawk Invitational where she recorded a 6K time of 23:54.7. In her most recent outing, she notched a career-best 6K time of 22:41.8 for 84^th place at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational.
• Sierra Hopp started the 2024 season with back-to-back top-20 finishes for Black Hills State, which included a career-best 4K time of 15:52.5 for 19^th place at the Gage McSpadden Memorial and a tenth place finish with a 6K time of 24:30.8 at the Blue Hawk Invitational. In her most recent outing, she recorded a career-best 6K time of 23:34.0 for 123^rd place at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational.
• Katelyn Krieger has added a pair of top-25 finishes for BHSU this season, starting with a career-best 4K time of 16:07.7 for 21^st place at the Gage McSpadden Memorial, and followed by a fourth place finish with a 6K time of 23:34.3 at the Blue Hawk Invitational. In her most recent outing, she tallied a career-best 6K time of 22:40.1 for 80^th place at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational.
• Norah Entzi has also collected a pair of top-25 finishes this season for the Yellow Jackets, which included a career-best 4K time of 16:08.5 for 22^nd place at the Gage McSpadden Memorial and an eighth place finish with a 6K time of 24:21.2 at the Blue Hawk Invitational. In her most recent outing, she posted a career-best 6K time of 24:19.2 for 156^th place at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational.
• Abigail Robberson has recorded a pair of top-40 finishes this season for BHSU, starting with a 31^st place finish and a career-best                   4K time of 16:37.3 at the Gage McSpadden Memorial, followed by a seventh place finish and 6K time of 24:14.5. In her most recent outing, she clocked a career-best 6K time of 23:07.9 for 108^th place at the UAH Chargers Cross Country Invitational.
• Emma Smith will be running in her third meet of her freshman season this weekend, as she enters with a pair of top-40 finishes. She started her collegiate career with a career-best 4K time of 16:49.0 and a 32^nd place finish at the Gage McSpadden Memorial. In her most recent outing, she recorded a 21^st place finish with a 6K time of 25:23.5 at the Blue Hawk Invitational.
• Gracie Craig will be running in her second career race this weekend as her only other appearance in her freshman campaign was the season opening Gage McSpadden Memorial where she earned a 12^th place finish with a career-best 4K time of 15:32.3.
• Also running in her second race of the season will be Brynn Hillman, who recorded a 16^th place finish and a time of 24:53.0 in her collegiate debut at the Blue Hawk Invitational.
• Brian Medigovich is in his fourth season leading the Yellow Jacket cross country programs as the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country.

BLACK HILLS STATE WOMEN'S RUNNERS (MOUNT MARTY INVITATIONAL)

• Sylvia Brown, Alexis Weiers, Katelyn Krieger, Sierra Hopp, and Norah Entzi

BLACK HILLS STATE WOMEN'S RUNNERS (RMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS)

• Evie Boyd, Emma Hofmeister, Gracie Craig, Abigail Robberson, Emma Smith, and Brynn Hillman