FARGO, N.D. - The South Dakota State cross country teams opened the 2018 season at the Bison Open for the seventh consecutive year, competing against North Dakota State and new Summit League foe - North Dakota, on Friday evening.
 
MEN
The men came away with a victory (26 points) in Fargo, their first second one in three years and sixth overall as sophomore Micah Mather was the first Jackrabbit to cross the finish line as runner-up (18:55.2). It is best 4k-mark of his career, beating his 2016 runner-up finish by 26.8 seconds. The time of 18:55.2 is the fastest active-Jackrabbit PR, beating junior Lukas Nelson's 2017 mark of 19:21.9.
 
Sophomore Gabe Peters finished behind Mather at third overall (19:03.5), his first career 6k-mark as a Jackrabbit. The 2017 Summit League XC Newcomer of the Championship has the second-fastest mark of active SDSU runners in the 4k.
 
The freshmen trio of Thomas Breuckman (fifth, 19:13.4), Ben Olson (seventh, 19:21.8) and Joseph Minor-Williams (ninth, 19:24.7) rounded out the top-10 place-finisher on Friday with their first career runs as South Dakota State student-athletes.
 
Other runners recording personal-best marks on Friday was sophomore Evan Fick, who placed 13th overall (19:41.3) and beat his 2017 PR by 43.2 second; and sophomore Jacob Wilts, who posted 23rd overall (20:30.7) and beat his 2017 PR by 25.4 seconds.
 
Redshirt freshman Michael Schwinghamer recorded his first career 4k-mark, placing 17th (19:58.0).

WOMEN
For the women, the team placed third (60 points), behind the strong effort of freshman Ellie Friesen. The Crestwood, Iowa native, finished runner-up (14:20.8) at her first meet in yellow and blue.
 
Sophomore Anna Donnay returned to Rose Creek Golf Course and beat her 2017 mark by 7.4 seconds, placing eighth overall (14:34.8). Donnay also finished in the top 10 of the event for second consecutive season in Fargo.
 
Junior Emma Nelson was the third Jackrabbit to cross the finish line, notching a PR in the event. She finished 17th overall (15:24.0) and trimmed her 2016 PR by 23.3 seconds.
 
Along with Friesen, four other freshmen debuted in their SDSU gear. Tori Glazier finished 26th (15:53.0), Elise Emmick placed 29th (16:31.9), Jessica Christoffer posted 31st (16:38.9) and Bailey Dergan notched 32nd (16:41.0).
 
Up Next
The cross country teams will return to action on Sept. 15 at the Woody Greeno Invitational in Lincoln, Neb, hosted by Nebraska. The meet is expected to start at 10 a.m. at the 2018 Big Ten Cross Country Championship site, the Mahoney Golf Course.
 
Social Media
For more information on the South Dakota State cross country teams, follow the Jackrabbits on Twitter (@GoJacksTFXC) and Instagram (@GoJacksTFXC), and like us on Facebook (/GoJacksTFXC).
 
MEN'S TEAM SCORES:
South Dakota State: 26 points
North Dakota State: 29 points
North Dakota: 82 points
 
MEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
2. Mather, Micah (18:55.2) - PR, Active-Jackrabbit Best 6k
3. Peters, Gabe (19:03.5) - First 6k
5. Breuckman, Tom (19:13.4) - First 6k
7. Olson, Ben (19:21.8) - First 6k
9. Minor-Williams, Joseph (19:24.7) - First 6k
11. Auch, Alexander (19:35.1)
13. Fick, Evan (19:41.3) - PR
17. Schwinghamer, Michael (19:58.0) - First 6k
19. Klawitter, Chandler (20:12.0)
20. Ivanecky, Sam (20:18.1)
23. Wilts, Jacob (20:30.7) - PR
24. Munsterman, Ray (20:32.4)
 
WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES:
North Dakota State: 19 points
North Dakota: 53 points
South Dakota State: 60 points
 
WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
2. Friesen, Ellie (14:20.8) - First 4k
8. Donnay, Anna (14:34.8) - PR
17. Nelson, Emma (15:24.0) - PR
20. Dykstra, Kendra (15:36.3)
21. Schweiss, Jamie (15:36.7)
22. Fasen, Anna (15:42.8)
26. Glazier, Tori (15:53.0) - First 4k
29. Emmick, Elise (16:31.9) - First 4k
31. Christoffer, Jessica (16:38.9) - First 4k
32. Dergan, Bailey (16:41.0) - First 4k