SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Six Kansas Wesleyan women’s cross country runners recorded personal bests while the Coyote men finished with the fastest team time since 2009 as KWU competed at the Dordt Holiday Inn Express Classic on Saturday.

The Coyote women placed ninth in the team standings and the men placed sixth out of the 14 scoring teams in both races.

Freshman Madisyn Ehrlich (FR/Salina, Kan.) led the women’s finishers for the Coyotes placing 31st with a time of 19:46.70 for the 5K course. Charlee Lind (FR/Wamego, Kan.) placed 40th with a time of 19:58.66, Joni Schroeder (FR/Salina, Kan.) placed 55th in 20:25.72, Josie Koppes (SO/Manhattan, Kan.) was 73rd in 20:51.06, Alayna Behrman (SO/Craig, Colo.) was 79th in 21:01.98, Regan Rhodes (SR/Mullinville, Kan.) was 104th in 21:44.27 and Savannah Pilsner (SO/Columbus, Texas) was 133rd in 23:22.13.

The Coyotes finished ninth with 241 points just ahead of Doane who had 243 points. Morgan Lawson of Grand View was the individual champion in 18:02.66, leading the field of 153 runners. Dordt was the team champion with 49 points.

For the men, Austin Hess (JR/Garden City, Kan.) led the way with a 22nd place finish in the 8K race in 25:46.56. Shane Calvin (JR/Lakin, Kan.) was 24th in 25:48.99, Jake Cruz (FR/Pasadena, Texas) was 28th in 25:58.45, Cisco Alvarez (SO/Colorado Springs, Colo.) was 48th in 26:37.71, Giovanni Rios (SO/Temecula, Calif.) was 57th in 26:48.91, Nicolas Martinez (FR/Coppell, Texas) was 72nd in 27:15.13, Steven Merrill (JR/Arvada, Colo.) was 122nd in 28:54.68, Ty Davidson (SO/Lakin, Kan.) was 135th in 29:16.88 and Julian Avila (SO/Manhattan, Kan.) was 136th in 29:17.34.

The Coyotes were sixth in the team standings with 144 points, just three points behind Wayne State. Dordt’s Joe Anderson led the 164 runner, 14 team field with a time of 24:19.54. Dordt was the team champion with 27 points