Full Results

CEDAR CITY, Utah - IUPUI men's cross country junior Joe Hoffman earned a spot on the First Team All-Summit on Saturday as he finished seventh among 71 runners at The Summit League Championships at Cedar Ridge Golf Course. The Jaguars placed fourth among the 10 teams competing while South Dakota State edged host Southern Utah for the team title.

"I think the guys did a great job - I'm proud of them," IUPUI Head Coach Chuck Koeppen said. "Some kids ran great and some kids ran so-so, but all in all, it was a good day.

"We thought we might be able to finish as high as second, but I think we were the fourth best team today. Oakland was a different team today that what we saw earlier in the year and South Dakota State ran really tough today to upset Southern Utah."

Hoffman made the two trips around the 4K loop in a time of 25:50.30, edging Oakland's Patrick Cassady by just one second for the final First Team award. It was a back-and-forth battle between Hoffman, Cassady and Oral Roberts' Shadrack Koech down the stretch for the final spot.

"I had second team expectations coming in. I thought first team was a stretch," Hoffman said. "Down the stretch, I just tried to hang in there the best I could. The last 100 meters, I kicked hard and outleaned him, I guess."

"Hoffman ran lights out today," Koeppen added.

The junior became just the fifth student-athlete in the men's program's history to earn a First Team finish, joining Matt Schmitt, Brandon Cole, Brad Wheeler and current classmate Aaron Kremer.

Otherwise, IUPUI's standings had a different look to it on Saturday.

Rising freshman #J.D. Smith# crossed the finish line in 26:24 to take 19th overall and Kremer ran a 26:42.10 to place 25th. Sophomore Andy Wilson ran among the top five for the first time this season, finishing the race in a time of 26:53.10 to take 29th.

"J.D. had a really nice race and I thought Andy Wilson did a really good job," Koeppen said.

The Jaguars' lone senior, Evan Fruits, rounded out the scoring five in a time of 27:19.60 in 35th place. Junior Chase Kaufman, who had missed the previous two meets due to injury, crossed in 27:30.60 and sophomore Ricky Warren rounded out the roster at 27:59.50.

SDSU put four runners among the top 12 to knock off preseason favorite Southern Utah by just five points at 59-64. Oakland was third with 72 while the Jaguars were fourth at 115. While running at altitude made a significant impact, it didn't give anybody a distinct advantage on Saturday.

"You couldn't have asked for better weather, but the altitude played a factor the second half of the race," Hoffman said. "Three-fourths of the way, it just hits you like a truck."

SUU's Cameron Levins edged Oral Roberts' Jonah Lagat by less than a second to earn the Championship MVP award. Levins, who was the runner-up in 2008, finished in a time of 24:48.00. UMKC's Cosmas Ayabei earned Newcomer of the Championship by placing third and SDSU Head Coach Rod DeHaven was pegged Coach of the Year.

IUPUI will now take part in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Meet on Nov. 14 at the IU Varsity Course in Bloomington, Ind..

Team Results
1. South Dakota State - 59
2. Southern Utah - 64
3. Oakland - 72
4. IUPUI - 115
5. Oral Roberts - 132
6. North Dakota State - 140
7. Western Illinois - 185
8. UMKC - 189
9. IPFW - 225
10. Centenary - 292

Individual Results
7. Joe Hoffman - 25:50.30
19. #J.D. Smith# - 26:24.00
25. Aaron Kremer - 26:42.10
29. Andy Wilson - 26:53.10
35. Evan Fruits - 27:19.60
37. Chase Kaufman - 27:30.60
42. Ricky Warren - 27:59.50