Cedar Rapids, Iowa - The men's cross country team traveled West to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to continue their 2025 racing schedule. Mount Mercy University played host to the annual event hosted at Seminole Valley Park. The Saints claimed the team title by defeating second place and 21st ranked Cornerstone by nine points. The Saints tallied 64 points and placed three individuals in the top ten and eight in the top 35. The Saints also recorded the third fastest team time of all-time by averaging 25:15 a person for the top five scorers.
The Saints saw a strong presence near the front of the race as
Juan David Hernandez Avila won the meet in a time of 24:35. The performance ranks as one of the best individual performances in school history.
Shema Reponse and
Brian Langlois also had huge personal bests to both place in the top ten. Reponse placed ninth in a time of 25:11, while Langlois followed his teammate through the chute in tenth place with a matching 25:11.
Charlie Coyle (25:34 - 22nd place) and
Andrew Stern (25:41 - 26th place) would round out the scoring for the Saints.
Assistant Coach
Nick Thelen added, "The men faced a strong field of NAIA opponents today and rose to the challenge to win their third team championship of the season. We had great course conditions and everyone took advantage of the opportunity which led to the third fastest team time in school history. Juan David was exceptional getting his first ever career individual victory. It is great to see how these guys are responding to the pressure of competition by continuing to elevate themselves week after week."
The Saints also received strong performances from
Carson Lafferty (32nd - 25:47) and
Noah Momber (33rd - 25:55) to round out the top seven. Aquinas also saw one other competitor break into the 25's as
Jaben Bakker placed 35th in a time of 25:58.
A total of 259 individuals competed from 23 different institutions.
Carson Lafferty commented, "Great showing by our team today in Iowa! Tons of pr's for the guys and lots of fast times, especially from Juan David. It was awesome getting the win as a team—good motivation going into Great Lakes and conference in a few weeks. We've been stacking solid weeks of training, and this race showcased what AQ is capable of. Great day to be a Saint!"
Aquinas will return to action in three weeks when the Saints will host the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids.
