TULSA, OKLA. – The Summit League announced its conference cross country pre-season poll Wednesday morning with the Oral Roberts men placing fourth with 19 votes, and women placing tied for sixth with 16 votes.  ORU also had their 2025 athletes to watch revealed with each coach nominating two athletes for their men's and women's programs across the conference.  The Golden Eagles open up the 2025 campaign at the Bob Timmons Rim Rock Classic hosted by the University of Kansas on Saturday, August 30th.  

2025 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL

	Team	Score (1st place votes)
1.	South Dakota State	36 (6)
2.	North Dakota State	30 (1)
3.	North Dakota	22
4.	Oral Roberts	19
5.	South Dakota	18
6.	St. Thomas	16
7.	Kansas City	6

 
2025 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL

	Team	Score (1st place votes)
1.	South Dakota State	45 (4)
2.	North Dakota State	42 (2)
3.	North Dakota	37 (2)
4.	South Dakota	34
5.	St. Thomas	27
6.	Omaha	16
6.	Oral Roberts	16
8.	Kansas City	7

 
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
Note: Athletes to Watch nominated by league's head coaches
Cody Larson, South Dakota State
R-Sr. | Warner, S.D.

• Claimed the bronze medal at the Summit League Championship with an 8K time of 24:15.9 and helped SDSU capture its ninth consecutive League crown
• Finished 44 at the NCAA Division I Midwest Regional, clocking a 10K time of 30:35.4
• Placed seventh at the SDSU Classic with an 8K time of 25:03.5

Eli Hall, South Dakota State
So. | Pequot Lakes, Minn.

• Named to the 2024 Summit League Men's Cross-Country First Team
• Claimed the 2024 Newcomer of the Championship award after placing sixth with an 8K time of 24:39.4
• Finished 57th at the NCAA Division I Midwest Regional, clocking a 10K time of 30:42.5

Jacob Knodle, North Dakota State
Sr. | West Fargo, N.D.

• Placed 22nd at the League championships with an 8K time of 25:17.22
• Was the seventh Bison to cross the finish line at the League championships
• Ran a season best 8k time of 24:55.3 at the Marauders Invite

Ethan Moe, North Dakota State
So. | Williston, N.D.

• Placed 11th at the League championships with an 8K time of 24:58.57
• Earned second team all-league honors at his first Summit League Championship
• Ran a season best 8k time of 24:35.1 at the Bradley Pink Classic

Ian Busche, North Dakota
Jr. | Hazen, N.D.

• Opened the 2024 season with a first-place finish at the Ron Pynn Classic, finishing the 6K race in 18:25.3
• Ran a season-best time of 23:58.7 in the 8K at the Arturo Barrios Invitational good for 78th overall
• Took 39th at the League championships with an 8K finish of 26:06.7

Matej Hrebacka, North Dakota
R-So. | Hodonin, Czech Republic

• Placed eighth at the Summit League Championship with an 8k time of 24:50.4
• Earned second team all-league honors at his first Summit League Championship
• Ran a season-best time of 24:00.0 in the 8K at the Arturo Barrios Invitational, good for 81st overall

Abraham Chelangam, Oral Roberts
R-so. | Kampala, Uganda

• Clocked a Summit League Cross Country Championship meet record 8k time of 23:41.43 to earn the individual crown and Championship MVP honors
• Finished in fifth place at the NCAA Division I Midwest Regional, clocking a 10K time of 29:12.3
• Qualified for the NCAA Division I Championship and placed 87th with a 10k time of 29:50.6

Sibonokuhle Thwala, Oral Roberts
Junior | Johannesburg, South Africa

• Claimed a season best 8K time of 25:02.2 to place 12th at the Region VI Championship
• Qualified for the NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and placed 57th with an 8k time of 25:45.8
• Opened the 2024 cross country season with a 16th place finish in the four-mile with a time of 20.59.9 at the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic

Isaac Ochoa, South Dakota
So. | Norfolk, Neb.

• Placed 14th at the Summit League Championship with an 8k time of 25:04.7
• Earned second team all-league honors at his first Summit League Championship
• Opened the 2024 cross country season with a 12th place finish and a time of 19:26.0 in the 6k at the Coyote XC Invite

Natnael Kifle, South Dakota
So. | Sioux City, Iowa

• Placed 10th at the Summit League Championship with an 8k time of 24:56.7
• Earned second team all-league honors at his first Summit League championship
• Garnered his first victory of the season at the 2024 Platte River Rumble with a time of 18:00.7 in the 6k

Max Westerlund, St. Thomas
Jr. | Minnetonka, Minn.

• Started the 2024 season with a 5k personal-best time of 16:04.8 to take second place at the Oz Memorial
• Clocked a personal-best 8k time of 25:31.1 at the Joe Piane Invitational, taking 78th overall
• Placed 46th at the Summit League Championship with an 8k time of 26:21.9

Adam Lueth, St. Thomas
Jr. | Bloomington, Minn.

• Started the 2024 season with a 5k personal-best time of 16:20.0 to take 10th place at the Oz Memorial
• Finished 113th at the Bradley Pink Classic with a personal-best 8K time of 25:10.7
• Took 30th overall at the League championships with an 8K time of 25:41.1

Evan Kiefer, Kansas City
Jr. | Jackson, Mo.

• Ran a career best 6K time of 20:30.1 at the Bob Timmons Classic
• Placed 61st at the League championships with an 8K time of 27:40.8
• Finished the Gans Creek Classic 10K race with a season best time of 26:41.0

Eli Block, Kansas City
Jr. | Lee Summit, Mo.

• Finished 42nd overall at the Bob Timmons Rim Rock Classic with a personal best 6K time of 20:34.4
• Recorded a personal best 8K time of 27:15.6 at the League championships to finish 58th overall
• Ran 28:01.4 in the 8K race at the Platte River Rumble to finish 50th overall

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
Note: Athletes to Watch nominated by league's head coaches
Courtney Stadter, South Dakota State
So. | Mondovi, Wis.

• Named to the 2024 Summit League Women's Cross-Country First Team after finishing third at the League Championship
• Claimed the 2024 Newcomer of the Championship award and helped SDSU capture the League crown with a 6K time of 20:59.9
• Finished her freshman season with a 6K personal record time of 20:50.8 at the NCAA Division I Midwest Regional

Meghan Ford, South Dakota State
R-Jr. | Jamestown, N.D.

• Clocked a personal-best 5K time of 16:47.9 at the Augustana Twilight good for second place
• Turned in a personal-best 6K time of 20:49.9 at the Wisconsin Pre Nationals Meet to finish 12th
• Finished seventh at the League Championships with a 6K time of 21:05.2 to earn All League First Team honors

Reagan Baesler, North Dakota State
Sr. | Mayville, N.D.

• Clocked the second fastest Summit League Cross Country Championship 6k time of 20:34.04 to earn the individual crown and Championship MVP honors.
• Earned Summit League first-team honors after winning the League Championship 6K by nearly 20 seconds.
• Placed 12th out of more than 230 runners at the NCAA Midwest Regional (20:14.9) to conclude the season, securing All-Region status

Jenna DeBates, North Dakota State
So. | Luverne, Minn.

• Finished 16th at the League Championships with a 6K time of 21:46.97
• Placed 97th out of more than 230 runners at the NCAA Midwest Regional with a season best 6K time of 21:28.3
• Opened the 2024 season with a 6K time of 21:54.8 at the Marauders Invite

Jadyn Keeler, North Dakota
Sr. | Barrie, Ontario, Canada

• Redshirted the 2024 cross country season
• Earned Summit League Track Championship MVP during both indoor and outdoor season
• Garnered second team All-American honors during indoor season in the 5,000-meter placing 10th with a time of 15:31.63
• Registered second team All-American honors during outdoor season in the 10,000-meter finishing 16th with a time of 32:59.12

Shewaye Johnson, North Dakota
Jr. | Prosper, Tex.

• Opened the 2024 cross country season with a time of 20:37.0 in the 6K and a 67th place finish at the SEC Cross Country Championships
• Finished 22nd in the 6K race (20:08.4) at the NCAA Division I South Central Regional earning a spot on the All-Region Team
• Transferred to North Dakota from Texas A&M

Abrielle Jirele, South Dakota
Graduate | Eden Prairie, Minn.

• Redshirted during the 2024 Cross Country season
• Placed 15th at the League Indoor championships with a 5K time of 17:31.35
• Crossed the finish line in seventh place at the League Outdoor championships with a 5K time of 17:00.85

Geneva Timmerman, South Dakota
R-So. | Adel, Iowa

• Opened the 2024 season with a 5K time of 20:24.2 at the Coyote XC Invite
• Clocked a personal-best 6K time of 22:08.6 at the NCAA Division I Midwest Regional
• Crossed the finish line in a 6K time of 22:45.9 at the League Championships

Elsie Kmecak, St. Thomas
Jr. | Burlington, Wis.

• Started the 2024 season with a 16th-place finish at the Phoenix Open after clocking a 6K time of 22:57.6
• Clocked a personal-best 5K time of 17:57.4 at the Joe Piane Invitational to finish 28th
• Finished 18th at the League championships after finishing the 6K course with a personal record time of 21:58.36

Olivia Pauly, St. Thomas
So. | St. Cloud, Minn.

• Began her collegiate career with a 23rd place finish in the 6K with a time of 23:15.2 at the Phoenix Open
• Recorded a 5K time of 18:15.9 at the Joe Piane Invitational
• Finished the League championships 26th overall after crossing the finish line in a personal record 6K time of 22:15.6

Meredith Richter, Omaha
So. | Medford, Wis.

• Opened the 2024 cross country season with a time of 18:37.1 in the 5K to finish 18th at the Platte River Rumble

• Clocked the second fastest Maverick time at the Summit League Championships.
• Placed 25th at the Summit League Championship with a 6K time of 22:14.12

Briley Early, Omaha
Fr. | Leawood, Kan.

• Placed 6th at the 6A Kansas High School Cross Country State Championship with a time of 18:58.1
• Clocked a personal record 5K time at the 6A Regional of 18:46.4 to qualify for the state cross country meet at Rim Rock Farm 6th 
• Opened the senior year of her prep career with a 10th place finish at the Greg Wilson Invitational clocking a 19:22.9 5K

Ossly Murambidzi, Oral Roberts
So. | Harare, Zimbabwe

• Started her collegiate career with a 6th place finish in the 5K at the Bob Timmons Rim Rock Classic
• Placed 19th at the Summit League Championship with a 6K time of 22:02.0
• Clocked a personal best 6K time of 21:48.4 at the NCAA Division I Midwest Regional

Zoie Kiddy, Oral Roberts
Sr. | Sapulpa, Okla.

• Opened the 2024 cross country season with a personal best 18:51.1 5K at the Bob Timmons Rim Rock Classic
• Garnered a 10th place finish at the Weis-Crockett Invitational with a 6K time of 22:36.8
• Clocked a 6K time of 22:17.0 to finish 27th at the Summit League Championships

Harper Barlow, Kansas City
Jr. | Yukon, Okla.

• Clocked a personal-best at the Gans Creek Invitational with a 6K time of 22:52.9
• Ran a personal-best 5K time of 20:37.8 at the Bob Timmons Rim Rock Classic
• Finished the 6K League championships race in a time of 23:37.0

Mariah Belmont, Kansas City
So. | Macomb, Mich.

• Did not compete during the 2024 cross country season
• Finished 18th in the 5K at the Summit League Indoor Championship with a time of 17:50.1
• Placed eighth in the 3,000-meter steeple chase at the Summit League Outdoor Championship with a time of 11:18.27

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