The Event

• 20th-ranked Dordt University men's cross country team will compete in the final meet of the regular season, the Mount Marty Invite, on Thursday afternoon (Oct.23)
• the 8K race will take place at the Fox Run Golf Course (600 W. 27^th St., Yankton, SD. 57078 - located off Hwy. 81 on the north side of Yankton, SD.)

Meet Information

• Distance: 8000m
• start times:
  • 4:40pm
• Live Results (Dakota Timing)

Teams Competing

• a total of five teams will be competing this weekend
• NAIA teams:
  • #20 Dordt
  • Mount Marty
  • Northwestern
• NCAA teams:
  • (RV) Augustana (S.D.) - D-II
  • South Dakota State (S.D.) - D-I

Defender Notes

• Last Time Out:
  • Dordt finished fourth overall, second among NAIA teams, at the second of its two home meets, the Holiday Inn Express Classic held Oct.11
  • the Defenders totaled 120pts, 13 behind GPAC foe Doane
  • two Defenders, Luke Swanson (7th) and Truman Johnson (14th) finished in the top 20 in the Gold Division
  • Swanson was the top NAIA runner in the field
  • seven Dordt runners finished in the top 20 in the Black Division race, led by Jamison Velzke (13th)
  • 33 Defenders ran personal bests
  • 12 Dordt runner posted their highest finish
• In the Rankings
  • the Defenders moved up five spots to 20th in the latest NAIA Coaches' poll
  • this is the Defenders second higest ranking of the season
  • the Defenders have been ranked in 48 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:
  • Thursday's meet is the fifth and final meet 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 has finished among the top four teams in every meet this season
  • earlier this season, the Defenders won their first home meet on this course, taking first place among six teams
  • Luke Swanson has the fastest time in the GPAC this season (24:44)
  • Swanson ranks 36th in the NAIA
  • Truman Johnson also ranks in the top five (4th - 25:01)
  • Swanson and Johnson lead the Defenders with a pair of top 10's this season
  • Derrek Vander Leest, Trace Obbink, Chase Kamp and Hudson Hamilton all have one top 10 finish
  • Tage Hulstein and Swanson lead the Defenders with five career top 10's