WARSAW, Ind. – It was a special day for the Malone University cross country programs as they competed at the NCCAA Cross Country Championships for the first time since 2012. The Pioneer women were able to become national champions by winning the NCCAA DI 5k race, the first national title since 2011. The Malone men fought hard, but placed second in the 14-team field.
 
"I'm incredible proud of how both teams competed," Head Coach Zach Fresenko stated. "The women ran away with their race from the start. The men ran their best race of the season thus far. We are blessed to have this opportunity to compete at the national level and beyond excited to be bringing home a trophy!" Fresenko was honored as the NCCAA Coach of the Year after the team's performance.
 
To begin the morning, senior Rylee Yocum brought home a second-place time of 18:56.3. Malone secured five of the top ten finishers with all of them named NCCAA All-Americans.
 
Junior Kristin Yeager (19:16.3) and senior Kaelyn Jones (19:16.8) were sixth and seventh overall in the 5k event with personal bests credited to each of them. Juniors Kylee Gray (19:21.9) and Rebekah Stoneman (19:32.7) accomplished the same feat in ninth and tenth. In team scoring, the Pioneers scored 2-4-5-7-8 with a pair of individuals also taking up spots in the top ten.
 
The Malone men finished second in the 8k race to the national champion, Campbellsville University. Junior Hayden Schmidt ran a 25:45.9 to pace the squad. He finished fourth overall at 25:45.9. Sophomore Alex Hill was ninth at 25:56.8. Both individuals earned NCCAA All-American honors from the governing body.
 
Sophomore Xander Heil (26:10.8), junior Tyler Twining (26:38.1) and freshman Brylan Holland (26:45.6) were the remaining scorers on the men's side. They were 11th, 13th and 14th overall.
 
This concludes the 2024 cross country season for the Pioneers. Indoor track & field begins on Thursday, December 5 at the Oiler Opener.