TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- John Brown University sophomore Sam Burkett placed 155th in a field of 323 runners at the 70th Annual NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championships on Friday morning (Nov. 21) at Apalachee Regional Park.
Burkett ran 26:19 over the 8,000-meter course, posting the eighth-fastest time in program history at the national championships. The sophomore climbed 79 spots after finding himself in 234th place at the one-kilometer mark.
"Tough day for Sam," head coach Peter Cunningham admitted. "He got boxed in early, but he responded well and began hunting from there. The effort to recover took a lot out of him near the end of the race, despite climbing a total of 79 spots.
"I'm proud of his hard work and the culture-setting leadership he brings to our team. He's hungry for what the future holds."
Indiana Wesleyan captured the program's first national championship with 117 points, placing all five runners in the top 40 to claim the title. The Master's (Calif.) finished second with 128 points, while Cumberlands (Tenn.) took third with 160 points.
Jack Anderson of The Master's won the individual title in 24:15, edging Mason Weisgerber of Southern Oregon (24:17) by less than two seconds. Yemane Mulugeta of Trinity Western (B.C.) rounded out the top three in 24:26.
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