PUEBLO, Colo. – The Black Hills State University men's and women's cross country teams turned in finishes of 12^th and 14^th place respectively in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional on Saturday afternoon at the Walking Stick Golf Course. The men's team totaled 382 points on the day, as they were down their top runner as Gavin Kuhlenbeck was unable to finish the race due to injury, and despite the circumstances they were able to finish ahead of a pair of top-10 regionally ranked programs. Leading the men's team was Turner Christians with a 49^th place finish and career-best 10K time as the Green & Gold finished ahead of regionally-ranked No. 9 Dallas Baptist and No. 10 UT-Tyler in a field of seven nationally-ranked programs. On the women's side, Evie Boyd ran to a career-best 6K time and saw a 40 place improvement from last year's regional as she helped the team total 399 points, just nine points behind No. 10 regionally-ranked UT-Tyler in a field of eight nationally-ranked teams. Along with Christians and Boyd, Dominic Eberle and Ava Allen secured career-best times in the regional races.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

• In his second career appearance at the NCAA South Central Regional, Turner Christians led the Yellow Jacket team lineup with a career-best 10K time of 32:05.3 for a 49^th place finish. Closely behind him running in his first-ever 10K was Landrum Wiley, who finished with a time of 32:19.1. Wiley picked up a total of 38 spots over the course of the final 7K, going from 97^th place at the 3K mark to 59^th at the finish line.
• Dominic Eberle also competed in the NCAA South Central Regional for the second time in his career on Saturday afternoon, posting a career-best time of 33:02.5. He also picked up a significant number of places throughout the race, 26 in total, as he moved from 105^th after 3K to 79^th at the finish line. Eberle was followed closely by freshman Emmett Swartzentruber, who notched a time of 33:21.7 for 91^st place in his first-ever 10K. He battled his way through the pack during the race as he stood 124^th after the first 1K but gained a total of 33 spots over the course of the afternoon.
• Freshman Sean Shipp rounded out the countable scores in the team lineup with a time of 33:49.9 for 104^th place in his first career 10K race. Shipp also found himself moving up through the pack throughout the day, gaining 15 spots after being recorded in 119^th place after the first 1K.
•  Jaxon Straus was the final Yellow Jacket to cross the finish line as he posted a time of 34:18.8 for 119^th place in his second appearance at the NCAA South Central Regional.
• Gavin Kuhlenbeck, who had led the Yellow Jackets in three previous outings this season and was a returning all-region performer, was unable to complete the race as he battled an injury while seeking a trip to the national championships. After the first 1K he was 23^rd with a time of 3:10.2 before falling one spot to 24^th with a time of 9:24.6 at the 3K mark. 

BLACK HILLS STATE MEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (160 RUNNERS)

Place	Name	Time	Points
49.	Turner Christians	32:05.3	49
59.	Landrum Wiley	32:19.1	59
79.	Dominic Eberle	33:02.5	79
91.	Emmett Swartzentruber	33:21.7	91
104.	Sean Shipp	33:49.9	104
119.	Jaxon Straus	34:18.8	119
	Gavin Kuhlenbeck	DNF

 
MEN'S TEAM RESULTS

Team	Total Points	Team Scoring
1. #2 Adams State *	50	2-3-13-15-17-(24)-(29)
2. #3 Colorado School of Mines *	62	6-10-12-14-20-(33)-(80)
3. #8 Western Colorado *	75	7-8-16-18-26-(38)-(39)
4. #6 Colorado Christian *	113	9-19-22-27-36-(47)-(48)
5. #12 West Texas A&M *	148	5-11-30-44-58-(77)-(127)
6. #15 UCCS	159	21-25-32-40-41-(45)-(65)
7. MSU Denver	239	34-35-43-63-64-(81)-(111)
8. #24 Fort Lewis	253	37-51-54-55-56-(62)-(74)
9. Colorado Mesa	325	46-52-60-75-92-(108)-(124)
10. CSU Pueblo	329	28-50-82-83-86-(112)-(132)
11. New Mexico Highlands	381	1-31-69-122-158-(160)
12. Black Hills State	382	49-59-79-91-104-(119)
13. South Dakota Mines	387	42-73-78-88-106-(118)-(131)
14. Dallas Baptist	404	61-67-71-102-103-(105)-(117)
15.  UT-Tyler	438	23-93-95-107-120-(125)-(126)
16. Oklahoma Christian	456	70-84-90-98-114-(133)-(136)
17. Chadron State	484	66-76-89-115-138-(143)-(145)
18. Cameron	503	53-99-110-113-128-(134)-(140)
19. Western New Mexico	504	68-72-101-121-142-(152)-(157)
20. Lubbock Christian	528	85-96-97-109-141-(148)-(156)
21. Texas A&M-International	534	4-94-137-146-153-(159)
22. St. Edward's	603	87-100-123-144-149 (151)
23. Regis	627	57-129-139-147-155
24. Texas A&M-Kingsville	685	116-130-135-150-154

*Denotes automatic qualifier for NCAA Division II National Championship
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

• For the fifth time this year, Evie Boyd once again topped the Yellow Jacket women's team lineup, securing a top-30 finish as she ran to a career-best 6K time of 21:44.6 in her third appearance at the NCAA South Central Regional. After the first 1K she was 34^th place but was able to gain six spots to get inside the top-30.
• In her second appearance at the NCAA South Central Regional, Emma Hofmeister ran to a top-60 finish, clocking a time of 22:36.4 for 56^th place. She fell to 69^th place at the 3K mark but bounced back and gained 13 positions the final 3K of the race.
• The third BHSU runner within the top-90 was freshman Ava Allen that clocked a career-best 6K time of 23:13.4 for 88^th place.
• The duo of Abigail Roberson and Gracie Craig rounded out the countable scores for the Green & Gold just seconds apart as Robberson ran to a time of 23:59.8 for 111^th place while Craig turned in a time of 24:02.4 for 116^th place. It was the second career appearance at the NCAA South Central Regional for both runners.
• The pair of Sierra Hopp and Mason Berg rounded out the group of competitors for Black Hills State as Hopp notched a 119^th place finish with a time of 24:11.5 while Berg was 131^st with a time of 24:41.5. For Hopp it was her second appearance at the NCAA South Central Regional, while for Berg it was her first. 

BLACK HILLS STATE WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (171 RUNNERS)

Place	Name	Time	Points
28.	Evie Boyd	21:44.6	28
56.	Emma Hofmeister	22:36.4	56
88.	Ava Allen	23:13.4	88
111.	Abigail Robberson	23:59.8	111
116.	Gracie Craig	24:02.4	116
119.	Sierra Hopp	24:11.5	119
131.	Mason Berg	24:41.5	131

 
WOMEN'S TEAM RESULTS

Team	Total Points	Team Scoring
1. #6 Adams State *	42	1-2-7-14-18-(19)-(42)
2. #3 UCCS *	74	9-10-16-17-22-(59)-(63)
3. #1 Colorado School of Mines *	82	4-12-13-26-27-(29)-(33)
4. #8 Western Colorado	111	5-8-21-36-41-(45)-(54)
5. #4 West Texas A&M	192	6-23-25-66-72-(80)
6. #26 CSU Pueblo	195	20-30-31-35-79-(148)
7. #15 Colorado Mesa	209	11-47-49-50-52-(62)-(163)
8. #23 Fort Lewis	273	3-32-64-81-93-(98)-(103)
9. MSU Denver	284	37-46-51-60-90-(95)-(97)
10. Midwestern State	299	39-40-69-75-76-(78)-(106)
11. Dallas Baptist	324	15-67-77-82-83-(86)-(87)
12. Colorado Christian	340	38-48-74-89-91-(101)-(138)
13. UT-Tyler	390	43-55-73-107-112-(123)
14. Black Hills State	399	28-56-88-111-116-(119)-(131)
15. Oklahoma Christian	444	24-34-99-141-146-(151)-(155)
16. St. Edward's	496	53-70-109-124-140-(154)-(167)
17. Cameron	516	65-85-96-121-149-(162)-(168)
18. Chadron State	547	94-102-108-117-126-(133)
19. Western New Mexico	557	61-104-127-128-137-(152)
20. New Mexico Highlands	563	57-68-125-156-157-(166)
21. Lubbock Christian	568	84-114-118-122-130-(145)-(153)
22. Regis	585	44-100-135-136-170-(171)
23. Texas A&M-International	606	71-92-139-143-161-(164)-(169)
24. South Dakota Mines	624	113-115-120-132-144-(158)-(165)
25. Texas A&M-Kingsville	638	105-110-129-134-160
26. Eastern New Mexico	656	58-142-147-150-159

*Denotes automatic qualifier for NCAA Division II National Championship