The Southwestern men's and women's cross country teams traveled to Leavenworth on Saturday morning and earned 12th and 13th position finishes, respectively, in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships. 

On the women's side, newcomer Lyra Codney led the way for the Builders, finishing the 6,000-meter race distance in a personal best time of 28:27. Senior Lauryn Peterson followed just behind, earning 88th place with a time of 32:35.1. 

Primary track and field athletes gave the Builders a massive boost in the race and made the squad eligible to earn its first team placement of the year. Sophomore Abigail Eckert crossed the finish line in 93rd position with a time of 34:31.3, while Vanessa Mendoza and Malia Perason rounded out the scoring effort, finishing in 100th and 101st place. After all five Builders crossed the finish line, the team compiled a total of 367 points to finish 13th overall. 

On the men's side, Sophomore Derek Ponce-Gonzalez crossed the finish line in a team-best 88th position, clocking a time of 30:19.1 in the 8,000-meter race distance. Senior Jamell Sanchez wrapped up his senior cross country campaign with a time of 30:57.4. Newcomers Dominique Orosco, Jack Titgemeyer, and Lyrix Howard would wrap up the scoring effort for SC, finishing in 115th, 117th, and 124th place, respectively. The team earned 356 points to finish 12th in the championship meet.
 

The Moundbuilders will be back in action in January, as the cross country program transitions indoors to begin the 2025-26 track and field campaign.