JOPLIN, Mo. – On Friday morning, the University of Northwestern men's cross country team capped off their 2025 season at the NCCAA National Championship 8K, hosted at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course in Joplin, Missouri. The Eagles improved on last year's performance at this meet, placing ninth overall with every runner crossing the finish line in under 35 minutes.

Tyler Dueber (Bloomington, Minn./Homeschool) continued his standout debut season as the first Eagle to finish, clocking a time of 28:14.4 in 41st place. Caleb Phillips (Poplar, Wis./South Shore) was next for Northwestern, placing 54th with a time of 29:20.0.

Owen Van De Riet (St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville) followed close behind in 57th, recording a strong improvement from last year's Championship race with a 29:30.8 finish. Peter Kephart (Lake Nebagamon, Wis./Northwestern) also lowered his time from 2024, running 30:30.7 compared to last year's time of 31:21.00. Rounding out the squad were Grayson Lecher (St. Paul, Minn./Concordia Academy), clocking a finish of 31:01.6, Joshua Ringsmuth (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) with a 32:13.8 finish, and Samuel Otis (Shoreview, Minn./Homeschool) turning in a time of 34:16.8.

With the 2025 season complete, the Eagles look ahead with optimism. Every rostered runner holds eligibility to return next year, continuing to build the program under second-year head coach Patrick Fitzgerald.