RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Black Hills State University men's and women's cross country teams traveled down I-90 to the Hart Ranch Golf Club in Rapid City to compete at the 2026 RMAC Cross Country Championship on Saturday morning, as the No. 27 nationally-ranked women's squad finished seventh with 205 points and the men's team finished eighth with 234 points.
Emma Hofmeister once again led the women's team, posting the first top-30 individual finish at the conference championship for the Yellow Jackets since 2023 and
Kori Keil was just seconds behind as well, as they helped lead the team to their best conference finish since 2020 and a higher finish than both No. 11 Colorado Christian and No. 12 Fort Lewis in the team standings. On the men's side it was the highest team finish since 2018 at the conference championship, as the trio of
Landrum Wiley,
Turner Christians, and
Emmett Swartzentruber all finished within the top-55 and 12 seconds of one another. On the men's side the Green & Gold finished ahead of both No. 13 Fort Lewis and No. 19 Colorado Christian.
BLACK HILLS BRAWL RIVALRY SERIES PRESENTED BY FORD
In the inaugural year of the Black Hills Brawl Rivalry Series presented by Ford, there were two points on the line on Saturday morning, one in each men's and women's cross country. The Yellow Jackets captured both points, earning the men's point with an eighth place finish with 234 points, while the Hardrockers finished 11
th with 311 points, and then they earned the women's point with a seventh place finish with 205 points compared to a ninth place finish and 294 points for South Dakota Mines. The two points gives Black Hills State a 5-4 edge through five of 14 events in the series across all sports this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED – MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
- Landrum Wiley led the way for Black Hills State at the RMAC Championship, recording a 46th place finish as he crossed the finish line in a time of 25:11.8, just 2.0 seconds off of his career-best 8K time he set three weeks ago.
- The pair of Turner Christians and Emmett Swartzentruber crossed the finish line 51st and 52nd respectively, posting times of 25:18.8 and 25:23.4 in the 8K race.
- Competing in his first career RMAC Championship, Gage Kuhlenbeck ran to a 61st place finish and an 8K time of 25:43.3
- Rounding out the scorers in the Black Hills State lineup, Anthony Ackerman ran within 4.9 seconds of his career-best 8K time set back in September, as he crossed the finish line in a time of 25:47.8 for 64th place.
- Connor Phipps and Lucas Keith finished sixth and seventh in the team lineup with times of 27:02.7 and 27:13.3 for 109th and 113th place respectively.
- Competing in his third RMAC Championship of his career, Alberto Spotted recorded a 115th place finish with a time of 27:18.7, while freshmen Quinn Bruch and Ian Weich rounded out the ten individuals competing for the Green & Gold with times of 27:37.4 and 27:46.1 respectively in the 8K for 119th and 121st place finishes.
BLACK HILLS STATE MEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (129 RUNNERS)
MEN'S TEAM RESULTS
| Team |
Total Points |
Team Scoring |
| 1. #3 Adams State |
33 |
3-4-6-9-11-(13)-(21) |
| 2. #2 Colorado School of Mines |
48 |
1-5-7-16-19-(20)-(26) |
| 3. Western Colorado |
79 |
10-14-15-17-23-(30)-(32) |
| 4. #14 UCCS |
107 |
2-24-25-27-29-(34)-(38) |
| 5. #26 CSU Pueblo |
116 |
8-18-22-31-37-(48)-(64) |
| 6. Colorado Mesa |
217 |
28-41-42-46-60-(61)-(69) |
| 7. MSU Denver |
220 |
35-36-39-43-67-(74)-(75) |
| 8. Black Hills State |
234 |
40-44-45-51-54-(84)-(88) |
| 9. New Mexico Highlands |
258 |
12-33-62-68-83-(90)-(95) |
| 10. #13 Fort Lewis |
264 |
49-50-53-55-57-(76)-(79) |
| 11. South Dakota Mines |
311 |
58-59-63-65-66-(70)-(77) |
| 12. Regis |
353 |
47-52-78-87-89-(91) |
| 13. #19 Colorado Christian |
388 |
72-73-80-81-82-(86)-(92) |
| 14. Westminster |
399 |
56-71-85-93-94-(96)-(97) |
HOW IT HAPPENED – WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
- Emma Hofmeister notched the first top-30 finish at the RMAC Championship for the Black Hills State women since 2023 as she finished 29th with a 6K time of 22:11.5.
- Kori Keil continued a strong freshman campaign with a 33rd place finish, sixth-best by a freshman in the race, as she crossed the finish line with a time of 22:19.6.
- Separated by just 1.0 second, Mason Berg and Kira Ubence notched 55th and 56th place finishes respectively, clocking times of 23:06.5 and 23:07.5.
- Ava Allen rounded out the scorers for the Yellow Jackets, running to a time of 23:16.0 for 61st place.
- Completing the top-7 of the BHSU lineup was Abigail Robberson and Abby Hardersen, who finished with times of 23:48.2 and 24:01.0 for 71st and 76th place finishes. Sierra Hopp was close behind the pair as she crossed the finish line with a 6K time 24:10.7 for 81st place.
- Nicole Clark and Noah Denison completed the team of Black Hills State runners with 110th and 114th place finishes and times of 25:16.1 and 25:23.0 respectively.
BLACK HILLS STATE WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (128 RUNNERS)
WOMEN'S TEAM RESULTS
| Team |
Total Points |
Team Scoring |
| 1. Western Colorado |
40 |
2-3-4-15-16-(25)-(35) |
| 2. #1 Adams State |
55 |
7-9-10-12-17-(20)-(34) |
| 3. #7 UCCS |
64 |
5-8-13-14-24-(30)-(32) |
| 4. #3 Colorado School of Mines |
69 |
1-6-19-21-22-(27)-(31) |
| 5. #22 Colorado Mesa |
138 |
11-26-28-36-37-(40)-(41) |
| 6. CSU Pueblo |
194 |
23-38-39-43-51-(52)-(93) |
| 7. #27 Black Hills State |
205 |
29-33-46-47-50-(58)-(63) |
| 8. Regis |
288 |
18-45-61-76-88-(91) |
| 9. South Dakota Mines |
294 |
42-44-67-68-73-(87)-(90) |
| 10. MSU Denver |
308 |
48-57-60-71-72-(80) |
| 11. #11 Colorado Christian |
324 |
53-54-59-77-81-(89)-(96) |
| 12. #12 Fort Lewis |
324 |
49-56-62-74-83-(84)-(92) |
| 13. Chadron State |
339 |
55-64-66-69-85-(94)-(98) |
| 14. Westminster |
409 |
75-78-79-82-95 |
| 15. New Mexico Highlands |
417 |
65-70-86-97-99 |
UP NEXT
The Black Hills State men's and women's cross country teams will next be in action on Saturday, November 21, as they make their second trip of the year to the Lone Star State, this time to race at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional at the LCU Cross Country Course in Lubbock, Texas.
