SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The 2021 Summit League Cross Country Championships will be hosted Saturday at Holland Hall in Tulsa, Okla. All eight men's teams and all nine women's teams will compete in the opening two of the league's 19 championships during the 2021-22 academic year.
 
Need to Know
Date: Saturday, Oct. 30
Times: 10 a.m. CT (Men's), 11 a.m. CT (Women's)
Location: Holland Hall
Host: Oral Roberts
Live Stream: Here
Live Results: Here
Photo Gallery: Here
80s Promotion: Here
 
Where to Look
For anything and everything regarding The Summit League Cross Country Championships, visit the official championship website here.
 
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Men's Front Runners

• South Dakota State looks to earn its sixth-consecutive Summit League Championship title, which would be the most consecutive titles in league history
• The Jackrabbits come into the championship ranked No. 10 in the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional rankings.
• SDSU men have finished first or second in nine out of the last 10 league championships
• South Dakota Merga Gemeda holds the leagues fastest 8K time of the season (24:23.7), while the reigning Summit League Championship MVP in North Dakota’s Patrick Kipkemobi holds the second fastest 8K time (24:33.1).
• Gemeda tied a league record for the most cross country weekly honors in a single season with five, tying Oakland’s Adam Frezza (2005) for the record. With his seven career accolades, he moves to fourth in league history. The Sioux City, Iowa native has led USD in five-straight meets.
• South Dakota State’s Ben Olson, who won the SDSU Classic in an 8K personal-best time of 24:59.74, will look for his second-straight first-team All-Summit League honor as the junior placed fourth in last season’s championships.
• SDSU teammate Joseph Minor will look to make it three-straight championship finishing in the top-two as he was the 2019 Championship MVP and last season’s runner up in the 8K.
• St. Thomas will compete in its first league championship as a Division I member and are led by Zach Haire, who holds the third fastest 8K time in the Summit League this season (24:38.6) recorded at the Bradley Pink Classic.

Last Five Men's Champions
Team
2020: South Dakota State
2019: South Dakota State
2018: South Dakota State
2017: South Dakota State
2016: South Dakota State
 
Individual
2020: Patrick Kipkemboi, North Dakota
2019: Joseph Minor, South Dakota State
2018: Eldon Warner, South Dakota
2017: Chase Cayo, South Dakota State
2016: Robert Murphy, IUPUI
 
Women's Front Runners

• South Dakota State will look to earn their second-straight tournament and third overall as they are led by the reigning Summit League Championship MVP Leah Hansen, who captured the 6K title with a time of 21:45.59.
• Hansen has collected three TicketSmarter Summit League weekly awards and won the SDSU Classic 5K title with a personal-best time of 17:56.91. Hansen also has recorded the fastest 6K time (20:51.8) this season, which she placed fourth in the prestigious Bradley Pink Classic.
• After sitting out last season’s championships, Kelby Anderson, the 2019 Championship MVP, will look to capture her second 6K crown as she recorded the second fastest 6K championship time of 20:35.1 in 2019.
• South Dakota’s Ella Byers, who is a two-time Summit League athlete of the week, placed first in the Briar Cliff Invitational on Oct. 5 with a 5K time of 17:39.22.
• SDSU and USD come into the championship ranked No. 9 and No. 10, respectively, in the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional rankings.
• St. Thomas will compete in its first league championship as a Division I member and are led by Olivia Moll, who holds the eighth fastest 6K time in the Summit League this season (21:35.9) recorded at the Bradley Pink Classic.

 
Last Five Women's Champions
Team
2020: South Dakota State
2019: North Dakota State
2018: South Dakota
2017: South Dakota
2016: South Dakota
 
Individual
2020: Leah Hansen, South Dakota State
2019: Kelby Anderson, North Dakota State
2018: Emma Rafuse, Purdue Fort Wayne
2017: Rachel King, South Dakota State
2016: Emily Donnay, South Dakota State
 
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