September 24, 2026
Photos credit by Hunter Dimick
THIS WEEK
MADISON, S.D. - The Dakota State University women's and men's cross-country teams return to action Friday morning at the NCAA Division II meet, the Augustana (S.D.) Invitational. The race will take place at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls. It will mark the second time this season the Trojans will run at Yankton Trail Park since the season opener in the Augustana Twilight meet on Sept. 4.
The men's squad will run first at 10:15 a.m. on the 8K racecourse, followed by the women's 6K racecourse at 11 a.m. The cross-country meet will have live results via Dakota Timing.
LAST TIME OUT
Dakota State's men's and women's cross-country teams turned in strong performances at the Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open on Sept. 12 at the Dordt Cross Country Course in Sioux Center, Iowa.
The Trojan women placed fourth in the five-team 5K race with 119 points.
Kierra Miller led DSU with a season-best time of 20 minutes, 13.31 seconds, finishing 32nd overall. She was named the Frontier Conference Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week after posting the best time in the league for that week.
Anna Schneider followed in 33rd at 20:15.26, while
Jewel Gannon clocked 20:38.53. Freshman
Talya Vincent posted a personal-best 20:59.39, and
Erin Harms completed the Trojans' scoring lineup in 21:35.56. Dakota State's five scorers averaged 20:44.41.
The Dakota State men finished third in the four-team 6K race, recording 79 points behind Dordt and Northwestern (Iowa).
TayShaun Cudmore paced the Trojans with a 16th-place finish in 19:14.67.
Finley McConniel was DSU's second finisher in 19:53.34, followed by
Benjamin Strunk (20:00.49),
Baylor Burns (20:04.54) and
Tyler Nicke (20:12.06). DSU displayed strong pack running, with its second through fifth scorers separated by just 18.72 seconds.
2026 DAKOTA STATE CROSS COUNTRY TOP TIMES
Women's (5K)
- Valerija Curikova – 18 minutes, 23.3 seconds – Augustana (S.D.) Twilight Meet – Sept. 4
- Anna Schneider – 19 minutes, 58.6 seconds – Augustana (S.D.) Twilight Meet – Sept. 4
- Kierra Miller – 20 minutes, 13.1 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Jewel Gannon – 20 minutes, 36.1 seconds – Augustana (S.D.) Twilight Meet – Sept. 4
- Talya Vincent – 20 minutes, 59.39 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Erin Harms – 21 minutes, 20.3 seconds – Augustana (S.D.) Twilight Meet – Sept. 4
Men's (6K)
- TayShaun Cudmore – 19 minutes, 14.67 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Finley McConniel – 19 minutes, 53.34 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Benjamin Strunk – 20 minutes, .49 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Baylor Burns – 20 minutes, 4.54 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Tyler Nicke – 20 minutes, 12.06 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Spencer Olsen – 20 minutes, 16.12 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Holden Jelen – 20 minutes, 21.10 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Brendan Gillaspie – 20 minutes, 21.26 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Jonah Thiele – 20 minutes, 24.54 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Jack Peterson – 20 minutes, 44.55 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Jeremy Feistner – 21 minutes, 30.75 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Grayson Masen – 21 minutes, 38.05 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
- Kaiden Akey – 23 minutes, 57.39 seconds – Dordt (Iowa) Sunflower Open – Sept. 12
UP NEXT
Dakota State heads to Sioux Center, Iowa, for the second time this season on Saturday, Oct. 10. The Trojans run in the Dordt Holiday Inn Express Classic at 10 a.m.
