Men's Cross Country opens 2024 season with a victory at 4-team Bluffton Beaver Dam Invite

Men's Cross Country opens 2024 season with a victory at 4-team Bluffton Beaver Dam Invite
August 30, 2024

BLUFFTON — The Ohio Northern men's cross country team opened its 2024 season by winnign the 4-team Bluffton Beaver Dame Invite on a hot Friday evening at the Bluffton Nature Preserve.

The Basics

  • Record: Ohio Northern (3-0 Overall)
  • Race Info: The event was a 6K race held at the Bluffton Nature Preserve.
  • ONU placed first of four collegiate varsity teams with 29 points.

Race Results

  • The Polar Bears finished first out of 5 scoring teams
  • Ohio Northern placed first with 29 points, St Francis (Ind.) placed 2nd with 46 points, Bluffton came in 3rd with 117 points, and Heidelberg finished 4th with 126.

Top ONU Performers

  • Fifth-year senior Jared Swartz (Columbia Station) led the Polar Bears across the finish line in 19:24 to finish 2nd of 78 runners.
  • Senior Ryan Massie (Beavercreek) was 4rd in 19:28.
  • Fifth-year senior Ian Ackenhausen (Xenia/Legacy Christian Academy) was 5th in 19:35.
  • Junior Jacob Clouse (Alvada) finihsed 6th in19:43.
  • Senior Trent Babcock (Painesville) came 7th in 19:49.

Notables

  • This is the 5th time in the last 7 years that Ohio Northern has opened up their season racing at Bluffton.
  • Ohio Northern has won 6 of its last 9 opening races, including 2 of its last 3.
  • 16th-year head coach Jason Maus is now 1,479-387 as head coach of the ONU men's cross country program and is the winningest coach in program history.

Up Next

  • The Polar Bears will return to action on Sept. 7 at the Franklin (Ind.) Invitational.