SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State women's and men's cross-country teams opened the 2022 season on Friday night competing at the Augustana Twilight at Yankton Trail Park.
 
The SMSU women's team finished 18^th out of 28 teams with 541 points while the men's team placed 31^st overall with 898 points. Both the women's and men's meet featured several teams from Division I with South Dakota State capturing the women's team title with 84 points, while SDSU also won the men's meet with 24 points.
 
Caitlyn Regan led the Mustangs with a 106^th place finish as she covered the 5K race with a time of 20:10. Natalie Jorschumb placed 123^rd with a time of 20:26, followed by Catherine Ihrke at 20:39 to finish in 136th. Macie Langstraat placed 185^th at 21:26, with Hannah Koepfinger earning a 210^th place time of 21:52. Kyra Kusnierek ran 22:10 to finish 224^th overall, while Josephine Lentz went 22:35 to finish 237^th to round out SMSU's team scoring. Savanna Busch ran a time of 23:29 to finish 276^th, while teammate Brycelyn Hanson finished at 23:30 to place 279^th.
 
Brayden Tofteland was the highest finisher for the men's team in the four-mile race crossing the line at 21:58 to place 168^th. John Ziemkowski finished 215^th with a time of 22:37, Daniel Olson was 285^th at 24:09, Patrick Jenkins ran 25:31 to finish 305^th, Michael Boyd placed 309^th with a time of 26:10, while Ryan Russek finished 313^th at 26:49.
 
Both SMSU teams return to action on Sept. 23 at the Wayne State Wildcat Classic in Wayne, Neb.