INDEPENDENCE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University men's cross country team delivered a commanding performance on Friday morning, capturing the 2025 Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship title in Independence, Oregon.

Competing on the same course they ran just a few weeks ago, the No. 10-ranked Mountaineers rose to the occasion in one of the nation's deepest conference fields. The race featured five other nationally ranked programs—No. 9 Southern Oregon, No. 12 College of Idaho, No. 15 Trinity Western, No. 20 Corban, and RV Northwest—all of which were outpaced by EOU as the Mounties claimed the crown with 71 team points.

Thomas Ogden once again led the charge for Eastern, placing ninth overall (24:53.0) to anchor a tightly packed Mountaineer front. Close behind were Grady Greenwood in tenth (24:53.5) and Darian Slack in 12th (24:56.7), as each earned All-CCC honors with their top-15 finishes. Slack's lifetime-best effort stood out on a day when few runners managed personal records, reflecting EOU's poise and toughness under championship pressure.

The Mounties' title was secured by Trevor Nichols in 19th (25:27.9) and Hunter Marlatt in 21st (25:35.2), rounding out the top five. Additional contributors included James Thatcher (46th, 26:21.5), Skyler Perkins (48th, 26:25.1), Luke Davis (53rd, 26:40.9), Cooper Gover (72nd, 27:44.7), and Thomas Ferman (78th, 28:07.9).

For guiding Eastern to the conference title, Head Coach Ben Welch was named CCC Men's Coach of the Year for the 14th time in his career.

With the win, the Mountaineers now turn their attention to the NAIA National Championships, with official selections set for Tuesday, November 11 at 4 p.m. CT. Already among the nation's elite, EOU is well-positioned to carry its momentum further into the postseason.