The Dordt University men's cross country team delivered a strong performance at the Holiday Inn Express Classic on Saturday, October 11, finishing fourth out of 16 teams in the Men's Gold Division race.

• Results | PDF (Gold Division)

Competing against a deep field that included NCAA Division II and NAIA programs, the 25th-ranked Defenders totaled 120 points, placing behind Augustana (S.D.) (30), South Dakota State (40), and 15th-ranked Doane University (107). Dordt edged out Minnesota State (124), another NCAA D-II program, to secure a top-four team finish.

• "The men raced very well today; in a very competitive field, they ran smart and patient races," said Dordt University Head Coach Nate Wolf.  "They positioned themselves well and moved strongly over the last 1.5 miles. We have felt like this race has been building in our training. To have eight men under 26:00 and another 15 under 27:00 is a testament to the work the team has put in over the summer and this fall. We talked this week about being able to run together over the course of a race, and what that can allow us to accomplish both individually and collectively. A lot of young guys really stepped into today and raced very well, gaining valuable experience." 

Senior Luke Swanson led the way for Dordt, placing 7th overall with a personal-best time of 24:44.34 on the 8,000-meter course. This was a 24-second PR for Swanson and marked his second top 10 finish of the season.

• Luke had an outstanding day to lead the men.  He has been training at this level all fall, and it was great to see the pieces come together in such a strong performance.  To finish in the top 10 in this competitive field is a great measuring stick for him as we move into the last half of the season."

Sophomore Truman Johnson followed closely, finishing 14th in 25:01.86, which is also a personal-best time. 

Freshman Hudson Hamilton (30th, 25:34.81), senior Chase Kamp (33rd, 25:38.75), and freshman Steven Hebert (39th, 25:50.55) rounded out the scoring five for Dordt, all placing within the top 40.

Additional top-50 finishes came from Trace Obbink (42nd), Levi Landman (44th), Derrek Vander Leest (46th), and Isaac Fagan (49th), showcasing the team's depth and consistency.

Dale Johnson, a sophomore from South Dakota State University, won the race with a course record time of 24:06, breaking the old mark held by Joe Anderson (Dordt) of 24:19. Johnson's SDSU teammate, Will Lohr, finished second (24:20).
 

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In the second 8K race of the day, Dordt placed third out of 10 teams with 63 points in the Black Division. All seven of the Defenders counters finished among the top 20, led by freshman Jamison Velzke (13th) with a personal-best time of 26:14.

Brett Gifford was close behind in 14th place and completed the 8K course in 26:15. Sam May followed with a 16th place finish (26:21) and Dordt runners occupied the next four places behind May; Ethan Wynia (17th - 26:22), Caleb Van Beek (18th - 26:22), Jonathan Breems (19th - 26:27) and Ezra Landman (20th - 26:37).

A pair of unattached runners, Jacob Vander Plaats (1st - 25:22) and Max Salas (2nd - 25:32) were the first two to cross the finish line in the Black Division Race.

By the Numbers:

• 16 teams, 147 runners competed in the Gold Division
• each team could enter up to 10 runners in the Gold Division race
• 10 teams, 140 runners were entered in the Black Division race
• Dordt's 1-5 split - 1:06 (Gold); 1-7 split - 1:11 (Gold)
• Defenders 1-5 split - 8 seconds (Black); 1-7 split - 23 seconds (Black)

Defender Notes:

• the Defenders have finished among the top four teams in every meet this season
• Luke Swanson was the top NAIA runner by a minute
• Swanson and Truman Johnson have been the Defenders top two runners in all three races they competed in
• Swanson has two top 10's this season; six for his career
• this was Johnson's third top 25 finish this season, six for his career
• Velzke, Gifford, Wynia all have two top 25's this season
• Personal Bests (33):
  • Luke Swanson - by 24 seconds
  • Truman Johnson - by 41 seconds
  • Hudson Hamilton -  39 seconds
  • Steven Hebert - 1:40
  • Chase Kamp - 19 seconds
  • Trace Obbink - by 16 seconds
  • Derrek Vander Leest - by 20 seconds
  • Isaac Fagan - by 29 seconds
  • Jamison Velzke - by 23 seconds
  • Brett Gifford - by 25 seconds
  • Ethan Wynia - by 37 seconds
  • Caleb Van Beek - by 42 seconds
  • Jonathan Breems - by 52 seconds
  • Ezra Landman - by 1:18
  • Jackson Prins - by 38 seconds
  • Devin Van Zanten - by 1:15
  • Easton Van Den Berg - by 41 seconds
  • Justin Kroeze - by 16 seconds
  • Lawson Burkhart - by 16 seconds
  • Collin Gordon - by 52 seconds
  • Bennett Visser - by 32 seconds
  • Anderson Schuttinga - by 39 seconds
  • Levi Bird - by 16 seconds
  • Mark Swanson - by 41 seconds
  • Abel Squires - by 1 second
  • Sammy King - by 32 seconds
  • Joshua Daun - by 1:08
  • Brayden Soerens - by 59 seconds
  • Jackson Anema - by 1:30
  • Levi Baart - by 1:53
  • Nathan Walhof - by 17 seconds
  • Espyn Klungseth - by 3:45
  • Tsion Bird - by 1:37
• Best Finish (12):
  • Jamison Velzke
  • Brett Gifford
  • Ethan Wynia
  • Caleb Van Beek
  • Jonathan Breems
  • Ezra Landman
  • Jackson Prins
  • Devin Van Zanten
  • Collin Gordon - matched
  • Brayden Soerens
  • Nathan Walhof
  • Espyn Klungseth

Up Next:

• Dordt will compete in the Mount Marty Invite on Thursday, Oct.23 in the final tune-up prior to the GPAC Championship