TULSA, Okla. – South Dakota State men, ranked No. 10 in the Midwest Region, and South Dakota State women, ranked No. 12 in the Midwest Region poll captured The Summit League Cross Country Championships Saturday at Holland Hall in Tulsa, Okla.
 
The men totaled 17 points for their 10^th overall and league-record sixth-straight team title ahead of league newcomer St. Thomas' 46 points. North Dakota State (93), South Dakota (113) and North Dakota (117) round out the top five of the standings. Rounding out the results on the men's side is Western Illinois (195), Kansas City (201) and Oral Roberts (216).
 
The Jackrabbit women earned their second-straight championship title and third overall with a team score of 55 points. North Dakota State's 56 points secured themselves a second place finish as South Dakota (67), league newcomer St. Thomas (96) and North Dakota (98) rounded out the top five of the standings. Rounding out the results on the women's side is Kansas City (160), Western Illinois (207), Omaha (214) and Oral Roberts (255).
 
Top Performers
South Dakota State's Gabe Peters, who was the 2017 Summit League Newcomer of the Championship, claimed the title with an 8K time of 24:33.25. His first place 8K time was the fifth-fastest in League Championship history. Fellow Jackrabbit Ben Olson, who was a first-team All-Summit League runner a year ago, placed second with a time of 24:38.24. The remaining top-five finishers went to SDSU's Max Selbach (24:39.74), who was a first-team All-Summit League runner last season, St. Thomas' Zach Haire (24:48.09) and SDSU's Tom Breuckman (24:53.92), who is now a four-time All-Summit League runner.
 
South Dakota State's Leah Hansen ran away with her second-straight title with a 6K time of 21:03.78, which was the seventh-fastest winning 6K time in League history. Kelby Anderson, the 2019 Summit League Championship MVP, finished second overall with a time of 21:11.58. Katherine Hanners of Kansas City (21:33.62), Cailee Peterson of SDSU (21:37.03) and Olivia Moll of St. Thomas (21:41.76) rounded out the top five.

Peters and Hansen captured the Men's and Women's Championship MVP honors with their victories. NDSU's Mason Kindel, who finished 12^th (25:28.4), claimed the Men's Newcomer of the Championship. St. Thomas' Molly Desotell earned the Women's Newcomer of the Championship after her 11^th-place finish with a time of 22:05.1.

The Summit League Honors
Women's All-League Teams:
First Team
Leah Hansen – South Dakota State
Kelby Anderson – North Dakota State
Katherine Hanners – Kansas City
Cailee Peterson – South Dakota State
Olivia Moll – St. Thomas
Anna Donnay – South Dakota State
Kaleesa Houston – North Dakota State
 
Second Team
Abby Ripperda – South Dakota
Abrielle Jirele – South Dakota
Ellyssa Peterson – North Dakota
Molly Desotell – St. Thomas
Grace Link – North Dakota State
Maddie Lavin – South Dakota
McKenzie Burian – North Dakota
 
Championship MVP
Leah Hansen – South Dakota State

Newcomer of the Championship
Molly Desotell – St. Thomas

Men's All-League Teams:
First Team
Gabe Peters – South Dakota State
Ben Olson – South Dakota State
Max Selbach – South Dakota State
Zach Haire – St. Thomas
Tom Breuckman – South Dakota State
Joseph Minor-Williams – South Dakota State
Daniel Burkhalter – South Dakota State
 
Second Team
Colton Halla – St. Thomas
Charles Caven – St. Thomas
Biel Wiel – St. Thomas
Alec Atwood – South Dakota
Mason Kindel – North Dakota State
Charlie Babcock – South Dakota
Jake Arason – North Dakota State
 
Championship MVP
Gabe Peters – South Dakota State

Newcomer of the Championship
Mason Kindel – North Dakota State

Final Standings
Men
1^st place – South Dakota State (17)
2^nd place – St. Thomas (46)
3^rd place – North Dakota State (93)
4^th place – South Dakota (113)
5^th place – North Dakota (117)
6^th place – Western Illinois (195)
7^th place – Kansas City (201)
8^th place – Oral Roberts (216)

Women
1^st place – South Dakota State (55)                         
2^nd place – North Dakota State (56)
3^rd place – South Dakota (67)
4^th place – St. Thomas (96)
5^th place – North Dakota (98)
6^th place – Kansas City (160)
7^th place – Western Illinois (207)
8^th place – Omaha (214)
9^th place – Oral Roberts (255)
 
Notables

• The last time a women's team won the League title by one point was in 2018, when South Dakota (51) outlasted North Dakota State (52).
• Leah Hansen became the first women's student-athlete to capture back-to-back Championship MVP honors since NDSU's Erin Teschuk did so in 2014 and 2015.
• For the second time in three seasons, SDSU placed six men on the first team All-Summit League honors.

Up next

• All eight men teams and all nine women teams head to the NCAA Regionals on Friday, Nov. 12 in Iowa City, Iowa.

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