SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State University women's and men's cross country teams opened the 2025 season on Friday night competing at the Augustana Twilight at Yankton Trail Park.
The SMSU women's team finished 17
th out of 26 teams with 501 points, while the men's team placed 20th overall out of 25 teams with 562 points. South Dakota State won the women's meet with 20 points, while SDSU also won the men's meet with 15 points.
In the women's 5K race,
Madison Marco led the Mustangs with a 57
th place finish out of 319 athletes hitting the finish line at 18:59.
Kyra Kusnierek placed 87th with a time of 19:22.
Kirsten Koopal ran 20:47 to finish 202
nd, followed by
Anneka Sedelmyer in 212
th at 20:51 and
Kaitlin Olson in 230
th at 21:12.
Sophia Nelson ran 22:26 to finish 269
th with
Lila Bungarden crossing the line at 24:37.
Carter Schwalbe was the highest finisher for the men's team in the four-mile race crossing the line at 20:47 to place 130
th out of nearly 400 athletes.
Matthew Groebner finished 150
th with a time of 21:00, with
Dylan Ommen right behind at 21:06 to finish 163
rd.
Gavin O'Connell ran 21:51 to place 228
th, with
Roel Palomo in 245
th at 22:00 and
Logan Roelofs finishing 225
th at 21:21.
Noah Christensen ran 22:26, while
Daniel Olson closed with a time of 23:34.
SMSU returns to action on Friday, Sept. 19, competing at the University of Minnesota Roy Griak Invitational.
