SACRAMENTO, Calif. — University of Charleston sophomore Samuel Idiens was the top performing Mountain East Conference runner at Saturday’s NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, which were held at Arcade Creek Cross Country Course.
 
The 10,000-meter race started at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), and featured 259 of the nation’s top long-distance competitors.
 
The Davis & Elkins men’s cross country team finished 27th in Saturday’s meet. The Senators were the 2024 MEC champions and followed up that achievement by winning the region.
 
Davis & Elkins and the UC men’s team qualified all runners out of the regional meet.
 
Idiens, a sophomore, finished 57th with a time of 30:53.9. Davis & Elkins senior Carter McKenna crossed the finish line a moment later to finish 59th overall with a time of 30:55.0.
 
D&E junior Jan Thewes placed 131st with a time of 31:37.6. Thewes won the MEC individual title and regional championship, earning MEC Runner of the Year along the way.
 
Also for UC: Zane Chalker, a senior, finished 134th, while teammate and sophomore Jules Geffroy-Remot placed 176th. The Golden Eagles finished in 29th place as a team.
 
West Texas A&M senior William Amponsah finished first to win the NCAA individual title. The defending champion completed the course in 29:40.8.
 
Colorado School of Mines won the team championship, edging Wingate for the title.
 
Davis & Elkins
Carter Mckenna            59       30:55.0
Jan Thewes                 131      31:37.6
Gabe Conder               185      32:17.4
Konnor Allison             199      32:37.0
Jackson Gibson           201      32:38.9
Jordan Thomas           208      32:42.3
Charlie Stephenson     240      33:37.0
 
Charleston
Samuel Idiens               57       30:53.9
Zane Chalker               134      31:40.1
Jules Geffroy-Remot   176      32:13.1
Corey Schobelock       188      32:25.5
Alex Jackson               234      33:19.5
Brady Miller                 245      33:50.9
Cole Friend                  249      34:01.3