SHU Men's Cross Country Places 15th; Rodriguez Named All-American

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Jesiah Rodriguez (Erie, Mich./Erie Mason) placed 29th to earn All-American honors, leading the Siena Heights men's cross country team to a 15th-place finish at the NAIA Cross Country Championships, which were held at the Fort Vancouver National History Site.

Rodriguez navigated the eight-kilometer course in 24:50 -- just making the top-30 requirement for All-American status.

David Weeks (Eaton Rapids, Mich./Eaton Rapids) finished 55th in 25:18 and Justin Bateson (Blissfield, Mich./Blissfield) took 122nd in 25:55 as the Saints finished with 372 team points.

Zach Widner (Detroit, Mich./Weston Prep) and Kyle Smith (Shelby Township, Mich./De La Salle) rounded out the SHU scoring. Widner crossed 139th in 26:04 and Smith grabbed 201st in 26:32.

Other Siena Heights finishers were Mark Haukereid (Bridgeman, Mich./Bridgeman), who placed 220th in 26:45, and Andrew Mark (Lowell, Mich./Lowell), who took 263rd in 27:11.

Oklahoma Christian won the NAIA Championship with 93 points. The top finisher was Kennedy Kithuka of Wayland Baptist (Texas). Kithuka's time was 23:15.