White Race Results (.pdf) I Open Race Results (.pdf)

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The IUPUI men's cross country team used a balanced pack and an all around strong effort to win the White Race at Saturday's Under Armour Pre-Nationals Invitational, hosted by Indiana State. The Jaguars posted a team score of 140 to edge second-place Ohio by six points for the top spot among the 20-team field. It the Jaguars first team win since winning last year's VIc Godfrey Open in Parkside, Wisc. 

Junior Ben Savage led the way, finishing tenth among the 132 runner field in a time of 25:14.8 and sophomore Eric Hoffman was 24th at 25:38.1. Dustin Starnes popped a key race with a time of 25:43.3 and two freshmen, Nate Kaiser and Brennan Butche, rounded out the Jaguars' top five. 

Kaiser crossed at 25:48.3 and Butche finished at 26:01.6 for a key fifth man performance. 

"It was a great team race for us," Savage said. "Our focus remains the same. We have to make sure we're ready to go when November 2nd and the Great Lakes Regional comes around. We're all looking forward to getting back to work and prepare for the next one."

"I'm proud of our guys," head coach Chuck Koeppen said. "They were tough today. We knew it was going to be a good field and a good race, but I'm proud of how we hung in there and got the job done today. It was really a great day with all the teams coming in from all over the nation for this meet.

"Ben is really running tough right now, but all our guys in that varsity group did their job and contributed to this win. I'm proud to see our name on top of that leaderboard."

Beyond the Jaguars' top five, Alex Ratkovich was IUPUI's No. 6 finisher in a time of 26:20.2 and Lucas Rhed rounded out the entries in a time of 26:24.8. Josh Everetts and Austin Ohm paced the open race entries, placing 71st and 75th respectively, among the 124-runner field. Everetts crossed at 26:41.6 and Ohm closed at 26:49.4. 

The meet win was IUPUI's 11th under Koeppen and the first-ever at the Pre-Nats Invitational. The Jags topped a stout field that included a pair of Horizon League foes in Oakland and Milwaukee, along with foes from the SEC, BIG EAST, PAC 12 and Big 12 Conferences. 

A select group of Jaguars will compete next Friday (Oct. 25) at the Bulldog Invitational at Northview Church in Carmel, while the remainder of the squad will turn their attention to the Horizon League Championships on Nov. 2 in Highland Heights, Ky. 

Team Standings
1. IUPUI - 140
2. Ohio - 146
3. San Francisco - 170
4. Georgia - 181
5. Vanderbilt - 182
6. Oakland - 198
7. Central Michigan - 200
8. Norfolk State - 216
9. Cincinnati - 225
10. Milwaukee - 234
11. Arizona - 234
12. UC Davis - 237
13. Toledo - 272
14. Saint Louis - 288
15. Oklahoma - 303
16. Eastern Kentucky - 354
17. Indiana State - 364
18. Southern Illinois - 425
19. Xavier - 453
20. Western Illinois - 596

Individual Results
10. Ben Savage - 25:14.8
24. Eric Hoffman - 25:38.1
29. Dustin Starnes - 25:43.3
36. Nate Kaiser - 25:48.3
48. Brennan Butche - 26:01.6
65. Alex Ratkovich - 26:20.2
70. Lucas Rhed - 26:24.8

Open Race Results (124 runners)
71. Josh Everetts - 26:41.6
75. Austin Ohm - 26:49.4
82. Josh Whitaker - 26:57.9
99. Brooks Long - 27:30.2
120. Noah Kramer - 30:02.4