ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Nebraska Wesleyan Cross Country capped its regular season on Saturday with a competitive showing at the Augustana Interregional Invitational, hosted by Augustana College (Ill.). Racing against one of the deepest Division III fields in the Midwest, the Prairie Wolves men placed 29th out of 36 teams, while the women finished 34th out of 40 teams in their final tune-up before the American Rivers Conference Championships.
The meet featured 339 finishers in the men's 8K and 349 in the women's 6K, drawing nationally ranked programs and serving as one of the final large-scale tests before championship season. Nebraska Wesleyan's men posted a total time of 2:12:50 with an average of 26:34 per runner, while the women combined for 2:02:18 with a 24:27 average. Both squads displayed consistency across their top five, with spreads of just over one minute for the men and under a minute for the women.
How It Happened
Men's 8K (Division III Gold Race)
The Prairie Wolves were led by junior Thomas Vasquez, who clocked 26:01.6 to finish 114th overall and pace NWU with his second team-leading performance of the season. Vasquez held steady through the midpoint of the race before closing strong to dip just above the 26-minute barrier.
Noah Thomas followed close behind, running a balanced effort to finish in 26:16.9 (146th), marking one of his best performances of the fall. Diego Chojolan continued his consistent season with a 26:32.8 (189th) finish, while Conner Ross (26:55.5) and Evan Brown (27:03.6) rounded out the Prairie Wolves' scoring five.
Nebraska Wesleyan's tight one-minute spread from its top five was a season highlight. Josh Knispel (27:05.8) and Dylan Lender (27:09.7) completed the top seven.
Overall, NWU placed 29th with 902 points, improving its team position by two places in the final kilometer thanks to a strong closing push.
Women's 6K (Division III Gold Race)
On the women's side, senior Delaney Vacek led the way with a 23:52.9 finish, placing 143rd overall in a field of nearly 350 runners. Vacek's steady pacing helped her record her fastest 6K of the season.
Close behind, freshman Jenna Lake and senior Avary Byers crossed the line nearly together in 24:23.0 and 24:26.9, respectively, to secure the team's second and third scoring positions. Aubrey Kipper (24:46.2) and Payton Jorczak (24:49.1) rounded out the top five, giving Nebraska Wesleyan a compact scoring group with just a 56-second spread.
Additional contributors included Alyssa Walker (24:56.0) and Reese Kozisek (25:19.5), both finishing within the top seven. As a team, the Prairie Wolves finished 34th overall with 901 points, continuing to show cohesion and progress against a deep regional field.
UP NEXT
Nebraska Wesleyan will now shift its focus to the American Rivers Conference Championships, hosted by Loras College on Saturday, November 1, in Dubuque, Iowa. The Prairie Wolves will look to carry the momentum of a strong regular-season finish into the postseason as they aim to climb the conference standings and set the tone for NCAA Regional competition.
