SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University men's and women's cross country teams won't have to travel far on Friday, September 6, as they are slated to begin their 2024 season by hosting the annual Gage McSpadden Memorial. The home races will take place at the Fort Meade Recreation Area in Sturgis, South Dakota, as the women's race will get things started at 6 p.m. while the men's race will be at 6:30 p.m. to end the evening.
 
RACE DETAILS
Date & Times: Friday, September 6 – women's race at 6 p.m. – men's race at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Sturgis, S.D. – Fort Meade Recreation Area
Fan Theme: Green & Gold – All Yellow Jacket fans attending the races are encouraged to wear green & gold attire to cheer on BHSU.
 
BLACK HILLS STATE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY STORYLINES

• Black Hills State earned one team title a year ago, occurring at the Gage McSpadden Memorial, to go along with an 11^th place finish at the RMAC Championships and 14^th at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional.
• The Yellow Jackets cruised to the team title at the 2023 Gage McSpadden Memorial with 23 points compared to South Dakota Mines in second place with 41 points. A one-two finish with career-best 6K times by Tim Brown (18:59.8) and Hayden Grosz (19:04.5) set the stage for six top-10 finishes by BHSU in the race.
• Grosz highlights a group of four returnees who competed at last season's NCAA Division II South Central Region. He is joined by Jaxon Straus, Marcos Valerio, and Alberto Spotted. Each of the four athletes earned career-best 8K times at the RMAC Championships and 10K times at the South Central Regional. All four runners notched a pair of top-50 finishes and had one top-10 mark.
• On Wednesday afternoon the RMAC announced the 2024 Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll which saw the Yellow Jackets picked 11^th with 68 points.
• Brian Medigovich enters 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

• Turner Christians, Dominic Eberle, Braik Hurm, Drew Lehman, Gavin Kuhlenbeck, Nathan Martin, Addison Red Fox, David Standish, Caden Strasser, Alex Truax, Marcos Valerio, Landrum Wiley

BLACK HILLS STATE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY STORYLINES

• Black Hills State finished as high as second as a team during the 2023 season, occurring at the Gage McSpadden Memorial, to go along with an 11^th place finish at the RMAC Championships and 14^th at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional.
• With 29 points Black Hills State was narrowly edged by South Dakota Mines, who accumulated 29 points, for the team title in the Gage McSpadden Memorial in 2023. The Yellow Jackets were led by Sylvia Brown who posted a career-best 4K time of 14:52.8 to win the race, pacing the way for five BHSU runners in the top-10.
• Brown opened the 2023 season with three straight top-10 finishes and five straight top-25 finishes, en route to bid to the NCAA Division II National Championships where she crossed the line 87^th with a 6K time of 21:28.5. Brown earned All-RMAC Second Team and All-South Central Region honors last year.
• Alongside Brown this upcoming season, Alexis Weiers, Katelyn Krieger, Norah Entzi, and Sierra Hopp each return to give BHSU all five regional competitors back on this upcoming season's roster.
• Krieger notched a pair of top-25 finishes last season, while Weiers, Entzi, and Hopp each posted one top-25 mark.
• On Wednesday afternoon the RMAC announced the 2024 Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll which saw the Yellow Jackets picked 11^th with 62 points.
• Brian Medigovich enters 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

• Evelyn Boyd, Alyssa Brandt, Jillian Brennan, Sylvia Brown, Gracie Craig, Norah Entzi, Emma Hofmeister, Sierra Hopp, Katelyn Krieger, Abby Robberson, Emma Smith, Alexis Weiers