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MACOMB, Ill. - IUPUI senior Robert Murphy outgunned a pair of South Dakota State runners down the final stretch, but the Jackrabbits got the last laugh on Saturday (Oct. 29) outrunning the Jags to capture the 2016 Summit League title. SDSU finished with 25 points while IUPUI was a close second with 33 points at Spring Lake Park.

Expected to be a two-team dual from the outset, the race materialized as such near the start of the third 2K loop as IUPUI and South Dakota State runners moved to the front. Murphy and fellow senior Damon Pruett formed a four-man pack with SDSU's Joel Reichow and Ayub Kassim. That pack held true with four more runners - two from IUPUI and two from SDSU - jockeying for position just behind them.

As the runners entered the final loop, Pruett, who was battling a cold, fell just off the pace into fourth-place. However, Murphy outkicked the two SDSU runners to easily take the individual tape in a time of 25:11.7, finishing nearly eight seconds ahead of Reichow, who was an All-American in 2015. Murphy, who was a four-time Summit League Athlete of the Week this season, collected his third individual win of the season.

Reichow and Kassim finished ahead of Pruett, while their teammates Trevor Capra and Kyle Burdick finished fifth and sixth. Junior Abiel Mogos, battling through injury, earned the final First Team All-League spot by placing seventh at 25:47.9.

Fifth-year senior Dakota Dubbs was just behind him at 25:48.0, but SDSU redshirt freshman Chase Cayo sealed SDSU's win by placing ninth. True freshman Jacob Stamm was IUPUI's No. 5 finisher at 13th overall in a time of 26:05.2, earning Newcomer of the Championship honors as the top placing rookie.

Redshirt freshman Brandon Arnold was IUPUI's No. 6 guy at 26:14.4 and junior Connor Sorrells was 20th at 26:25.1.

"I'm proud of our guys. Things actually probably went a little better than expected today. Coach DeHaven has a heckuva team at South Dakota State and we knew it was going to take a really incredible effort for us to get in front of them today. They've been more consistent than us all season long and it kind of played out like that today," IUPUI Head Coach Chuck Koeppen said. "I'm happy for Robert for him winning the race and I'm happy we had a bunch of guys earn all-conference. I'm happy for Stamm for being the top freshman. There's no reason for us to hang our heads today, we just weren't the better team.

"It still leaves a sour taste in your mouth, but the credit goes to (SDSU)."

With his win, Murphy joins Tom Ohlman (2014) as just the second Summit League Championship MVP in program history. Stamm becomes IUPUI's third Newcomer of the Year honoree, joining Rabah Rahil (2003) and Isaiah White (2014). 

"I started smooth and was very, very relaxed," Murphy said. "All I had in mind was South Dakota State, so I was went at it and whatever they did at the end, I wanted to go with them and see if I could hold on.

"It feels pretty good. I was wanting the team (championship) more. Obviously it feels great to win individually."

The Jaguars will now turn attention to the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in Verona, Wisc., on Friday, Nov. 11.

Team Results
1. South Dakota State - 25
2. IUPUI - 33
3. North Dakota State - 74
4. South Dakota - 131
5. Fort Wayne - 138
6. Western Illinois - 176
7. Oral Roberts - 196

Individual Results
1. Robert Murphy - 25:11.7
4. Damon Pruett - 25:27.6
7. Abiel Mogos - 25:47.9
8. Dakota Dubbs - 25:48.0
13. Jacob Stamm - 26:05.2
15. Brandon Arnold - 26:14.4
20. Connor Sorrells - 26:25.1
29. Kyle Lewis - 27:04.6