VANCOUVER, Wash. - Mountaineers Cross Country wrapped up the 2021 season Friday morning at the NAIA National Championships. Eastern Oregon saw its men's squad place 20th overall, while Travis Running earned All-American status for the second straight year.

For the Mountaineer men, Friday's team finish marks the 24th time they have placed in the top-20 in program history, all while under the direction of Head Coach Ben Welch.

For Running, it is his second straight All-American honor as the senior finished 13th overall on the 8K course in a time of 25:25.7. He becomes just the eighth Mountaineer to garner repeat All-American status for the cross country season. His All-American honor is also the 38th overall for EOU Cross Country and the 25th on the men's side. He averaged a 5:07 mile pace to finish in the top-15.

Coming in second for the EOU men was true freshman Justin Ash who placed 121st overall. He ran a time of 26:56.5 in his first National Championship. Coming in third was another true freshman in Cristian Mendoza who cleared the finish line in 27:07.5 to place 145th.

Having a solid day for the Mountaineers was the efforts of Jonathan Wind who was the fourth scored runner in a time of 27:11.3 to finish 153rd. Rounding out the top-five team scoring was Benjen Lilly placing 181st in a time of 27:26.5.

Hunter Nichols was sixth on the team placing 187th overall in a time of 27:30.2. Nichols had been a top-three runner all season, but in the first 200 meters he lost a shoe and fought to get it back on to stay in the race. Nonetheless, he was still just six spots away from being a top-five scorer. Rounding out the seven was Bennett Welch in 242nd in a time of 28:00.1.

On the women's side, Michelle Herbes competed as an individual. The senior battled tough conditions and a stacked field to earn a 159th place finish for the 5K course. She finished in a time of 20:02.5.

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