GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Indiana Wesleyan University performed very well today at the huge NAIA Great Lakes Cross Country Challenge in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Indiana Wesleyan was eighth in the 37 team race and was first of the 10 Crossroads League teams. IWU was only behind six top-25 ranked programs and one that was receiving votes.

“It was a great day for us today,” said Indiana Wesleyan head coach John Foss. “We finished ahead of teams that are ahead of us in the rankings and beat all the league teams. It was a great last meet before the league championship.”

No. 1-ranked St. Francis (Ill.) edged No. 12 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 66-69 to win the invitational championship. Host school and No. 3-ranked Aquinas (Mich.) was third with 108 points, No. 7 Shawnee St. (Ohio) finished fourth with 113 points, and St. Xavier (Ill.) rounded out the top five with 147 points. No. 25 Indiana Tech earned sixth at 198, #RV Cumberlands (Ky.) was seventh at 237, and Indiana Wesleyan claimed eighth at 293 points.

Six of the seven Wildcats kept their time on the 8,000-meter course under 27 minutes and five of them placed 100th or better overall in the 387-runner field.

“We looked really good today,” continued Foss. “And we finally got our gap down to where it needs to be.”

John Wilson led the Wildcat pack with a 26:07 for 40th place overall. Parker Williams finished with a 30 second PR as he was 51st in a time of 26:17. Matt McAndrews took 66th position at 26:34, Jacob Reinking was 73rd in a time of 26:39, and Matt Abebe crossed the line 100th in 26:56 to complete the IWU scoring. Nathan Gerick was 104th in 26:59 and Steven Osladil finished 135th in 27:26.

Indiana Wesleyan will take next weekend off before the team runs in their first postseason meet of the season. IWU will race at noon on November 9 in the Crossroads League Championship, hosted by Grace (Ind.) in Winona Lake, Indiana.