The Event

• The 25th-ranked Dordt University men's cross country team will compete as a full squad this weekend at their second of two home meets, the Holiday Inn Express Classic. on Saturday, Oct.11
• the 8K race will take place at the Defenders Home Cross Country Course on the campus of Dordt University
• due to the amount of entries, there are two 6K races:
  • Gold Division @ 10:35am
  • Black Division @ 11:45am

Meet Information

• Distance: 8000m
• start times:
  • Gold Division @ 10:35am
  • Black Division @ 11:45am
• Course Map
• Live Results (Dakota Timing)

Teams Competing

• a total of 16 teams will be competing this weekend
• NAIA teams:
  • Bellevue (Neb.)
  • (RV) Benedictine (Kan.)
  • Concordia (Neb.)
  • Dakota State (S.D.)
  • #15 Doane (Neb.)
  • #25 Dordt
  • Morningside
  • Northwestern
• NCAA teams:
  • (RV) Augustana (S.D.) - D-II
  • Jamestown (N.D.) - D-II
  • Minnesota State - D-II
  • Minnesota-Crookston- D-II
  • Sioux Falls (S.D.) - D-II
  • South Dakota State (S.D.) - D-I
  • Southwest Minnesota State - D-II
  • Wayne State (Neb.) - D-II

Defender Notes

• Last Time Out:
  • Dordt was the top NAIA team and finished third overall at the Briar Cliff Invite held last weekend in North Sioux City, S.D.
  • the Defenders totaled 106 points and trailed only the University of South Dakota (25pts) and Creighton (39pts)
  • all five of Dordt's scorers finished in the top 30, led by a pair of freshmen; Steven Hebert and Hudson Hamilton
  • Hebert was 16th (26:04) and Hamilton 18th (26:13)
  • Tage Hulstein made his season debut and was the next Dordt runner to finish (26th - 26:34)
  • the final two counters were Jamison Velzke (27th) and Ethan Wynia (33rd)
• In the Rankings
  • the Defenders dropped three spots to 25th in last week's edition of the NAIA Coaches' poll
  • the Defenders have been ranked in 47 consecutive polls, dating back to the 2018 season
    • this is the 5th longest streak currently in the NAIA
  • during the streak, Dordt has been ranked among the top 10 in 24 polls
  • Dordt was picked to win the conference title based on the GPAC preseason coaches' poll released earlier this season
• GPAC Success
  • the Defenders won their seventh consecutive GPAC title in 2024, a streak that began in 2018
  • this matches the conference record for consecutive GPAC titles won and is the second most by a men's team since the GPAC began in 2000
• National Success
  • the Defenders have qualified for the NAIA Championship 27 seasons (team and/or individual)
  • Dordt won the 2022 NAIA National Championship
  • Dordt has finished among the top 10 at the NAIA National Championship three of the last four years
• Schedule Outlook:
  • Dordt's schedule features five meets during the regular season, including two home events (Sept.13 and Oct.11)
  • this is meet #4 of the regular season
  • the NAIA Championship returns to Tallahassee, Fla. and will be held at the Apalachee Regional Park on Nov.21
  • the GPAC Championship will be held at the Mahoney State Park near Ashland, Neb. on Nov.8
• Coaching Staff
  • Nate Wolf returns for his 11th season as the head of the Dordt Cross Country program
  • Wolf was named the GPAC Coach of the Year in 2024, the 8th time he earned the league's top honor
    • 1st season - 2015
  • Jesse Veenstra and Emilee Heynen round out the Defenders coaching staff
• Other Notes:
  • Dordt won the Holiday Inn Express Classic in 2024, scoring 34 points
    • Aidan Vorster was the individual champion and was one of four Dordt runners in the top 10
  • the Defenders also won the team title in 2022 and 2021
  • Dordt has finished among the top three teams in all three meets this season
  • earlier this season, the Defenders won their first home meet on this course, taking first place among six teams
  • two Defenders, Steven Hebert and Hudson Hamilton, rank 9th and 10th, respectively, in the GPAC this season
  • five additional Dordt runners rank in the top 20
    • Truman Johnson (12th)
    • Luke Swanson (14th)
    • Tage Hulstein (17th)
    • Jamison Velzke (18th)
    • Trace Obbink (19th)
  • six Dordt runners have a top 10 finish this season
    • Hamilton, Johnson, Kamp, Obbink, Swanson and Vander Leest
  • Tage Hulstein and Swanson lead the Defenders with five career top 10's