November 8, 2024

Spring Arbor Claims Crossroads League Title

UPLAND, Ind. – In an extremely close race that saw the top-three teams separated by just 12 points, Spring Arbor University edged out the pack to claim the 2024 Crossroads League Men's Cross Country Championship.

Spring Arbor, ranked No. 9 in the latest NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Rating, totaled 58 points to finish 10 points ahead of defending champion No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan University (68). Rounding out the tightly-packed top-three was No. 10 Taylor University with 70 points.

The title is the Cougars' first since 2004 – the team's first year in the Crossroads League (formerly known as the Mid-Central College Conference).

Three SAU runners earned All-Crossroads League status for finishing in the top-15 overall, including Dean Reynolds, Ryan O'Rourke and Camden Khon. Reynolds led the Cougars for the fourth straight race finishing second in a field of more than 130 competitors with a time of 25:02. O'Rourke, who was also All-Crossroads League in 2023, landed in seventh place after completing the 8k race in 25:22 and Khon followed in 10th with a time of 25:26.

Head coach Bryan Burk was named the Crossroads League Coach of the Year.

THE BASICS

EVENT: Crossroads League Championship

LOCATION: Upland, Ind. | TUXC Farm

TEAM FINISH: 1st/9

TEAM TIME: 2:07:33

TEAM SCORING: 58 | 2-7-10-16-23(27)(31)

SPRING ARBOR TOP 7 TIMES

Dean Reynolds – 25:02 / 2nd
Ryan O'Rourke – 25:22 / 7th
Camden Khon – 25:26 / 10th
Kobe Blanco – 25:45 / 16th
Glen Davis – 25:58 / 23rd
Jacob Singleton – 26:33 / 39th
Cooper Singleton – 27:08 / 53rd

UP NEXT

Spring Arbor turns its focus now to the NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championships. The 69th annual championship meet is set for Friday, Nov. 22 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri.