SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – For the third straight season, the University of Sioux Falls Men's Cross Country Team will compete at the NCAA DII Championships which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 23 at the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento, Calif.

California State, Sacramento and the Sacramento Sports Commission hosts the 2019 NCAA DII men's and women's cross country championships at the Arcade Creek Cross Country Course in Sacramento, California. For results, click here. Fans can also follow the race on Flo Track, click here.

The DII Women's race begins at noon central and USF's men's team will be part of the men's field that runs the 10K course at 1:15 pm.

In a similar scenario to two years ago, USF was fifth at the regional and had to wait until the national field announced its at-large berths. And, the result was the same, the Cougars were picked to attend and compete at the NCAA Championships as a team for the fifth time in seven years (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2019). 
Clearly, the USF Men's Team is ready to take on the challenge and vye for another top 20 finish. A year ago USF was fifth, which was a program best, and in 2014, they took eighth while they were 18^th in 2013.

"We are excited to represent USF another time at the national meet," said USF Head Cross Country Coach Doug Petersen. "It is a great opportunity for the seniors (Mason Phillips, Steven Brown, Zach Lundberg, Dan Armstrong and Billy Beseman) to close out their college careers and a special opportunity for some underclassmen. For the five seniors, all of them will be at their third cross country championships. We look forward to the chance to compete again at nationals," said Petersen.

The USF Men's Team, which was ranked as high as seventh nationally this year, finished fifth at the NCAA DII Central Region Championships on Nov. 9. Seniors Mason Phillips and Steven Brown both clocked career best performances at the meet. Phillips recorded a 30:17.08 to finish fourth in the 10K race while Brown was fifth with his clocking of 30:18.66 bettering his previous high by over a minute. Also for USF, Zach Lundberg was 16^th in 31:13.56 while Dan Armstrong was 59^th at 32:26.62 and Billy Beseman, 63^rd in 32:31.54. Also Shodo Mahamed was 97^th in 33:19.45 with Wyatt Schlager, 112^th in 33:39.34.

A year ago, USF won the NSIC Championships for the first time, finished third at the regionals and a program-best fifth at the NCAA DII nationals. Phillips earned All-American honors for a second straight year with a program-best seventh place finish.  

"These guys are really excited about getting a chance to continue their seasons and careers," said Petersen, who program has had two top 10 finishes since moving to DII in 2012.

In 2017 USF was 27^th as Phillips was 15^th to earn All-American honors. A year ago, Phillips was seventh overall and USF took fifth as a team. USF also participated in the nationals in 2013 when they were 18^th as a team and 2014 when the Cougars claimed eighth as a team with Matthew Horan and Billy Brockmueller earning All-American honors