Sioux Falls, S.D. - Minnesota State's men's cross country finished fourth at the 15th annual Augustana Twilight while the women's team placed fifth to kick off their 2026 seasons.  

The men's team finished with 121 total points, behind only South Dakota State (30), South Dakota (36), and Augustana (99). MSU sophomore Luis Pfister (Ottobeuren, Germany) was 10th with a time of 15:03.9 improving upon his placement of 13th at last year's event.  

Other top finishers for the Mavericks included Jack Kendall (23), Erek Ross (27), Dominic Ripperda (37), and Tanner Felton (38) rounded out the Mavericks top five finishers, solidifying the team's fourth-place finish. 

The men's cross-country team returns to action at the Roy Griak Invitational on Friday, September 18 at 11:15 a.m., at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minn. 

The women's team started off the season just as strong, tallying 127 points to finish fifth overall. South Dakota (33), South Dakota State (63), Winona State (103), and Augustana (125) were the only teams to finish ahead of the Mavericks. Junior Sophie Baker (New Market, Minn.) led the charge for Minnesota State, finishing in eighth place with a time of 17:41.5. Her eighth-place finish comes off the back of finishing at 110 at last year's Augustana Twilight.  

Freshman Hayden Anderson (New Brighton, Minn.) finished in 18th in her first ever collegiate race, helping put the Mavericks in a strong position to finish fifth overall. Mileena Sullivan (31), Hannah Huza (36), and Jayna Lamping (37) capped off the Mavericks top five individual finishers. 

The women's cross-country team will also be back in action for the Roy Griak Invitational at 10:30 a.m., looking to build off their second-place finish at the event in 2025. 

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