September 12, 2026

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – TayShaun Cudmore paced Dakota State (S.D.) Saturday morning as the Trojan men's cross-country team earned a third-place team finish at the Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open. The race was contested at the Dordt Cross Country Course.

Dakota State registered 79 points in the 6K race, trailing host Dordt and Northwestern (Iowa). The Trojans' five scoring runners combined for a time of 1 hour, 39 minutes, 25.10 seconds and averaged 19 minutes, 53.02 seconds.

Dordt swept the first five scoring positions to capture the team title with a perfect score of 15 points. Northwestern was second with 53 points, followed by Dakota State with 79 points and Briar Cliff (Iowa) with 120 points.

Cudmore was the first Trojan to cross the finish line, placing 16th overall with a time of 19:14.67.

Dakota State packed its next four scoring runners within 19 seconds of each other.

Finley McConniel was DSU's second runner across the finish line, clocking a time of 19:53.34 for 33rd place overall. Benjamin Strunk followed in 34th place with a time of 20:00.49.

Baylor Burns finished 37th overall in 20:04.54, while Tyler Nicke completed Dakota State's top five with a 41st-place finish in 20:12.06. The Trojans' second through fifth scoring runners were separated by just 18.72 seconds.

Spencer Olsen was close behind Nicke, finishing 45th overall with a time of 20:16.12. Holden Jelen was 48th in 20:21.10, followed by Brendan Gillaspie in 49th at 20:21.26 and Jonah Thiele in 51st with a time of 20:24.54.

Jack Peterson recorded a time of 20:44.55. Jeremy Feistner finished 77th in 21:30.75, while Grayson Madsen clocked a time of 21:38.05. Kaiden Akey rounded out the Trojan runners with a time of 23:57.39.

Unattached runner Jacob Vander Plaats won the individual race with a time of 18:21.44. Dordt's Hudson Hamilton was the top collegiate finisher, placing second overall in 18:34.27.

Dakota State individual results
        TayShaun Cudmore – 19:14.67
        Finley McConniel – 19:53.34
        Benjamin Strunk – 20:00.49
        Baylor Burns – 20:04.54
        Tyler Nicke – 20:12.06
        Spencer Olsen – 20:16.12
        Holden Jelen – 20:21.10
        Brendan Gillaspie – 20:21.26
        Jonah Thiele – 20:24.54
        Jack Peterson – 20:44.55
        Jeremy Feistner – 21:30.75
        Grayson Madsen – 21:38.05
        Kaiden Akey – 23:57.39

Up Next

Dakota State returns to action on Friday, Sept. 25 at the Augustana Invitational in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Trojan men races at 10:15 a.m.