Results

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Central Methodist's Cris Renteria finished 62nd at the 58th Annual NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championship on Saturday at Rim Rock Farm. Tyler Meierarend placed 207th, while Brett Davis was 211th overall in the 8-kilometer race. All three sophomores were making their first appearance on the National Championship stage.

Renteria, the 2013 Heart of America Athletic Conference champion, crossed the finish line in 25:34.19. Meierarend posted a time of 26:44.64. Davis recorded a finish Saturday in 26:47.08.

Oklahoma City brought home the team title. The Stars, who were ranked No. 5 nationally in the final regular-season poll, ran a combined 8-kilometer time of 2:05:11 and accumulated 77 total points to best the 32-team field.

Southern Oregon, which was ranked No. 1 heading into the meet, placed second as a teamwith 124 pointsand ran a combined time of 2:05:18. The finish gives the Raiders back-to-back runner-up finishes at the National Championship. Cascade Collegiate Conference individual titlist and two-time Runner of the Week (Oct. 2, Oct. 30) Eric Avila led the way for Southern Oregon, outpacing the 313-runner field to earn the individual title. Avila covered the 8k course in 24:02, besting runner-up Sam Atkin of Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) by 19 seconds.

Rounding out the top five individuals were Mizael Carrera of Robert Morris (Ill.) with a time of 24:25; Andrew Reidsma of Trinity Christian (Ill.), who finished in 24:36; and Ethan Gallagher of Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), who covered the course in 24:38.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the meet was Emmanuel (Ga.), champions of the Southern States Athletic Conference, placing third with 148 points and a combined team time of 2:06:31.The finish is the highest all-time for the team, which had been ranked No. 13 in the NAIA prior to the National Championship. Rounding out the top five teams were defending national champion St. Francis (Ill.) (157 points) and Aquinas (Mich.) (185 points). The programs were ranked No. 3 and No. 6, respectively, in the final regular-season Top 25.