By Dan Lau, UWEC Sports Information
NORTHFIELD, Minn. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's cross country team competed in the NCAA North Regional on Saturday. The Blugolds took fifth out of 28 teams, scoring 134 points. The top four schools were UW-Whitewater, UW-La Crosse, St. Olaf, and UW-Stout.
The North Regional meet was hosted by St. Olaf. This race determines which teams will move on to the National Championships in Lansing, Mich., on Nov. 19. The runners were met with cold conditions in the high 20s.
Mason Shea (Jr. - River Falls, Wis.) was the top Blugold with an 18th-place finish at 25:06.4. Next in for Eau Claire was Zach Yengo (Sr. - Eau Claire, Wis./Regis) with a 25th-place finish at 25:22.4.
Also scoring for the Blugolds in the team's top five were Sam Verkerke (Jr. - White Bear Lake, Minn.) in 28th with a 25:26.2, Tyler Osen (Sr. - Lakeville, Minn./North) in 29th with 25:26.3, and Jack Hesse-Withbroe (So. - Stillwater, Minn.) in 34th with a 25:29.9. All five scoring Blugolds earned All-Region honors, which are awarded to the top 35 runners.
"The team finally came together and all seven raced with each other and it paid off," said Yengo, a team captain. "Having all scorers be All-Region is very impressive and should be celebrated. Being fifth is nerve-racking and we will be hoping to get an at-large bid to the national meet."
The Blugolds will find out on Sunday whether or not they will move on to nationals. The National Championships will be in Lansing, Mich., on Nov. 19 at 12 p.m.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
