TIGERS BATTLE GPAC COMPETITION AT MORNINGSIDE INVITE

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – In their second meet of the season, the Dakota Wesleyan University men's and women's cross country teams battled against stiff competition at the Morningside Invitational Meet on Friday held at the Adams Nature Preserve in Sioux City, Iowa. In the women's 5K race, it was once again Morgan Oedekoven (Pierre, S.D.) and Annika Vermeulen (Mitchell, S.D.) stepping up to the start line while the men's team came away with a sixth-place finish in the team standings. 

Oedekoven led the charge for the Tigers in the women's race as she finished in the top-30 and recorded a 41-second season best, crossing the finish line with a time of 21:45.72. Meanwhile, just outside the top-40, Vermeulen traversed the course in a time of 22:57.21.

"The ladies ran exceptionally well," commented interim director of cross country and track and field Chris Aschemann. "We are slowly chipping away at these first couple of meets and keeping the big picture in mind of running and competing well at the conference meet."

In the men's 8K race, true freshman Caleb Sayler (Lennox, S.D.) led the DWU men from start to finish. In his first collegiate 8K race, Sayler registered a time of 27:46.79 and placed inside the top-20 individually.

"The men's team also ran really well, being led by Caleb," added Aschemann on the Dakota Wesleyan men's performance. "We have an excellent group team wise that can work together and really push the envelope as we continue to progress through the season."

Junior duo Justin Sorensen (Vermillion, S.D.) and Wyatt Baldauf (Seneca, Ill.) finished in 23^rd and 30^th place, respectively. Sorensen posted a time of 28:12.48 while Baldauf crossed the finish line in a time of 29:10.88.

Rounding out the individual results for the Blue and Gray were Zach Fieber (Goodwin, S.D.) and Hunter Shanks (Bennington, Neb.) finishing back-to-back with times of 31:01.09 and 31:20.43.

The Tiger men finished the day with a sixth-place finish in the team results with an average time of 29:30.34.

Dakota Wesleyan returns to action next at the Briar Cliff University Invite on Friday, October 1 in Sioux City, Iowa. The women's 5K race is slated to begin at 3 p.m. followed by the men's 8K race which will kick off at 3:40 p.m.

DWU Men's and Women's Full Results

Women's 5K Race:

27^th – Morgan Oedekoven – 21:45.72

42^nd – Annika Vermeulen – 22:57.21

Men's 8K Race:

18^th – Caleb Sayler – 27:46.79

23^rd – Justin Sorensen – 28:12.48

30^th – Wyatt Baldauf – 29:10.88

40^th – Zach Fieber – 31:01.09

41^st – Hunter Shanks – 31:20.43