October 23, 2025

MADISON, S.D. – The Dakota State University Trojan cross country teams prepare for their final regular season meet Saturday morning before the Frontier Conference Championships.  The Trojans run in the Blazing Tiger NAIA Classic, hosted by Doane (Neb.) and the College of Saint Mary (Neb.), which features numerous NAIA schools in the women's 6K and 8K races.

The cross-country meet takes place at Mahoney State Park (27701 Mahoney Road) in Ashland, Neb.  The women's 6K race kicks off at 10 a.m., followed by the men's 8K at 10:45 a.m.

Holiday Day Inn Express Classic Recap

• Numerous Dakota State runners set personal record times in their previous meet on Oct. 11 at the Holiday Inn Express Classic, hosted by nationally ranked Dordt (Iowa) in Sioux Center.
• The (RV) Trojan women's cross-country runners finished ninth as a team out of 17 teams, featuring a deep field with schools from NCAA Division I, Division II, and NAIA ranked programs.
• Brooke Beaucaire improved her personal 6K time of 22 minutes, 35 seconds, which is the second fastest 6K time in DSU women's cross country school record book.  She was named to Erck Hotels/Frontier Women's Cross Country Runner-of-the-Week for the second time this season for the Trojans.
• Lindsey Roth clocked a career best 6K time of 22:57, the third fastest in school history for DSU.  Paige Willnerd posted the fifth fastest time in school record book (23:10).  Valerija Curikova registered the season best time of 23:13, the seventh fastest in school history, followed by Kierra Miller with a personal 6K time of 23:21 (7^th fastest in school history).
• Madelyn Sylva hit a season best time of 23:50, which is the 14^th fastest in school history.  Anna Schneider wrapped up with a season best time of 25:27.
• Dakota State men's cross-country team clocked the season best effort, thanks to their nine of the team's top ten runners with personal record times in the meet.   The Trojans placed 10^th overall as a team.
• The Trojans produced their fastest 8K team time of the season, finishing with a total of 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 35 seconds.  The Trojans' top five runners finished within 54 seconds.
• Marc Corpus (25:51), Evan Armstrong (26:09), Benjamin Strunk (26:38), Joshua Tucker (26:46), Tyler Nicke (26:49, Solomon Carter (27:17), Jonah Thiele (27:20), Finley McConniel (27:36), and Holden Jelen (28:15) each registered a personal 8K time in the race.
• Lucas Harr and Kaiden Akey recorded season best times for the Trojans.

Frontier Conference Cross Country Championships meets set on Friday, Nov. 7

• Dakota State along with ten other Frontier schools – Bellevue (Neb.), Bismarck State (N.D.), Carroll (Mont.), Dickinson State (N.D.), MSU-Northern, Montana Tech, Montana Western, Providence (Mont.), Rocky Mountain (Mont.), and Valley City State (N.D.) – prepares for the first fall sports conference championship on Friday, Nov. 7.
• Rocky Mountain will be the host of the cross-country conference meets this year and next year at Amend Park in Billings, Mont.
• The team winner from each gender division will receive the automatic bid from the Frontier Conference for the 2025 NAIA Cross Country National Championships.  The 70^th annual Men's and 46^th annual Women's Cross Country National Championships take place at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla., on Nov. 21.
• The last time Dakota State ran in Billings, Mont., was during the 2014 North Star Athletic Association/Frontier Conference qualifying meet.  The Trojans won their first ever NSAA Men's Cross Country Conference championship at Amend Park.

Upcoming Meets
Dakota State takes a week off before their Frontier Conference Cross Country Championships at Amend Park in Billings, Mont., hosted by Rocky Mountain (Mont.) on Friday, Nov. 7.  The women's race is set for 11:30 a.m. (Central Time)/10:30 a.m. (Mountain Time), followed by the men's 8K race at 12:30 p.m./11:30 a.m. (MT).

The Frontier Conference will hold the awards ceremony after the conclusion of the race.  The ceremony will include All-Conference runners, Champions of Character recipients, Academic All-Conference recipients, and team winners.

1. Frontier Conference Championships – Nov. 7 at Amend Park, Billings, Mont.
2. NAIA Cross Country National Championships – Nov. 21 at Apalachee Regional Park, Tallahassee, Fla.

2025 Dakota State University Top Times
Women's (6K)

• Brooke Beaucaire – 22 minutes, 35.5 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Valerija Curikova – 23 minutes, 14 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Kierra Miller – 23 minutes, 21.9 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Lindsey Roth – 22 minutes, 57.3 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Anna Schneider – 25 minutes, 27.4 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Madelyn Sylva – 23 minutes, 50.3 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Paige Willnerd – 23 minutes, 10.7 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11

Men's (8K)

• Kaiden Akey – 32 minutes, 45.4 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Evan Armstrong – 26 minutes, 9.1 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• David Brock – 29 minutes, 42 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Solomon Carter – 27 minutes, 17.2 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Marc Corpus – 25 minutes, 51.6 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Hunter Dimick – 36 minutes, 50.9 seconds – Briar Cliff (Iowa) Open – Oct. 4
• Lucas Harr – 31 minutes, 50.8 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Lane Henrichs – 25 minutes, 59.7 seconds – Briar Cliff (Iowa) Open – Oct. 4
• Reese Henrie – 28 minutes, 56.4 second – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Holden Jelen – 28 minutes, 15.5 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Finley McConniel – 27 minutes, 36.6 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Tyler Nicke – 26 minutes, 49.4 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Logan Recoy – 29 minutes, 50.1 seconds – Sunflower Open – Sept. 13
• Blake Schmiedt – 27 minutes, 29.3 seconds – Briar Cliff (Iowa) Open – Oct. 4
• Benjamin Strunk – 26 minutes, 38.7 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Jonah Thiele – 27 minutes, 20.7 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11
• Joshua Tucker – 26 minutes, 46 seconds – Holiday Inn Express Clinic – Oct. 11