ASHLAND, Neb. - Blue Hawk men's and women's cross country teams turned in a historic day of racing at the NAIA Blazing Tiger Classic, facing one of the strongest fields in the nation and emerging with lifetime bests, new program standards, and rising national momentum. Highlighting the meet was junior Caleb Sarsland's record-breaking performance in the men's 8,000-meter race, where he placed second overall in 24:21.50, setting a new all-time school record.

The meet featured over two dozen nationally ranked programs and championship-caliber competition on a challenging, hilly course. The Blue Hawks rose to the moment with peak-season efforts across both squads.

"Our Blue Hawk men's and women's cross country teams excelled at the Blazing Tigers Invitational in Ashland, Nebraska. The meet featured several of the nation's top NAIA programs, and our athletes rose to the challenge with some of the best performances in school history. Their hard work has paid off, as many runners achieved significant lifetime bests. Our top finisher was Caleb Sarsland, who placed second overall — just two seconds off the win — while setting a Dickinson State all-time 8,000-meter record in 24 minutes, 21 seconds on a challenging, hilly course. He pushed the pace on every climb and used the terrain to his advantage. We are excited to carry this momentum into the Frontier Conference Cross Country Championships on Nov. 7 in Billings, Montana, where our teams will continue to represent Dickinson State University with pride," said head coach Dr. Thomas Schwartz.

Men's Race – Sarsland Leads Historic Day
Sarsland's 24:21.50 not only broke the Dickinson State record but also placed him firmly among the NAIA's elite national contenders heading into the championship phase of the season.

Freshman Caleb Swisher (27:04.11) and junior Hudson Atkinson (27:13.02) delivered strong efforts in the deep field, followed by Jacob Littleton (28:51.11), Eli Heacock (28:57.57), and a tightly packed Blue Hawk scoring group that secured a 17th-place team finish.

Women's Race – Blue Hawks Record Lifetime Bests Amid Elite Competition
On the women's side, sophomore Mia Handran led the way with a 6K personal best of 23:36.86, placing 59th overall in a field stacked with national qualifiers. She was followed by senior Lauren Taylor (24:06.23), junior Loli Jarrett (24:10.94), and senior Natalie Lile (24:19.28), who all finished within 43 seconds of one another to power the Blue Hawks to a 15th-place team finish.

Freshmen Kheyerah Bilger (25:44.67) and Amanda Willis (31:40.43) continued their growth, gaining critical experience ahead of conference competition.

Momentum Building Toward Championships
With multiple lifetime bests, a new school record, and one of the premier individual performances in program history from Sarsland, the Blue Hawks leave Ashland positioned for a strong postseason push.
Dickinson State now turns its attention to the Frontier Conference Cross Country Championships, set for November 7 in Billings, Montana, where both teams will compete for national qualifying bids.