TIFFIN, Ohio - The Malone University cross country team traveled to their first postseason race of the season in Tiffin, Ohio for the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Championships. The men placed fifth of 11 teams, while the women followed up placing eighth of 12 teams.
 
The men were the first to go off. The men of Malone were ready to go from the start and competed for top-five team spot the entire race. While they did give up a few positions near the end, the team had several notable performances. Xander Heil, Wyatt Royster, and Yahya Jawadi were named Second Team All-Conference honorees and placed 14th (24:39), 15th (24:47), and 18th (24:50).
 
Heil's time is good for fourth in the program's NCAA Division II era. Royster advanced his personal best time as well and is now ninth in that same recordbook.
 
The men were pleased with this performance as G-MAC honoree Heil mentioned "It was my favorite race I have ever been in collegiately and I really wanted to give everything I had today." The men hope to continue their success as the rest of the postseason unfolds.
 
The women were the next race and the team was coming off a hot streak of fast performances prior to this race. While times were not as fast as they liked, they did have notable performances. Senior Rachel Whetstone led the Pioneers with a 6k time of 24:03. Carolyn Miller was next by only two seconds (24:05). Brooklyn McIntyre was third to cross the line for Malone at 24:24. Fourth and fifth were Olivia Szmania and Marisa Brown finishing within one second of each other (24:31/24:32).
 
For the cross country team, this was their final full team meet. Next up for the Pioneers is the 2026 NCCAA Cross Country National Championship in Joplin, Missouri. The action takes place on Friday, November 13.