Clinton, Mississippi - It was an exceptional weekend for Southern Virginia University men's and women's cross country. Both teams made the long trek to Mississippi to compete against many of the best teams in the nation. Projected to finish ninth, the men's team posted the second-best finish in program history, claiming sixth. The women's team was projected to finish tenth and wound up in ninth place, exceeding any outsiders' expectations as well.

On a day when multiple individuals posted career-best performances, sophomore Kaelen Ruder shined the brightest with his 18th-place finish, earning him a spot in the NCAA Dlll National Championship meet in one week. Ruder's rise to national prominence this season has been steady and quiet, yet he's posted one of the most decorated seasons in Southern Virginia cross country history. 

The women's race was the first event of the morning. After a strong day at the conference championships two weeks ago, Southern Virginia put together more stellar performances. Bayleigh Redd was the first to cross the line for the Knights at 23:09 and a 26th place finish. Not far behind, Heidi Barton finished in 30th with a time of 23:17.

Courtesy of their finishes in the top thirty-five, Redd and Barton were recognized as part of the All-Region team, a feat not easily accomplished. In 46th place, Kamryn Bradshaw was the third Knight to cross the line in under twenty-four minutes, while Elizabeth Dalebout was the team's fourth runner in 67th place. The women's ninth-place team finish marks the third time in four years that they've finished within the top ten regionally.

On the men's side, Southern Virginia boasted a strong top three runners led by Kaelen Ruder, who secured 18th place in a time of 25:23. Ruder becomes just the third athlete in the men's program history to finish within the top twenty. Senior Kedryn Chandler delivered the best performance of his career by improving on his place from last year's regional meet, finishing in a time of 26:05 to place 27th. Joseph Hughes added to the All-Region performers for Southern Virginia by securing 33rd with a time of 26:19.

With five runners earning All-Region honors, the most in program history, the Knights leave Mississippi with one of their all-time best overall team performances. Head Coach Kyle Chandler shared high praise for his runners' efforts.

"Anytime teams finish higher than expected it is always a positive vibe; and to have both teams on the same day do that along with some individuals running their best race of their season or career is gratifying."

While the teams fell short of qualifying as a team for the national championship meet, they continue to make significant strides in becoming a program to be reckoned with across the country. By qualifying as an individual, Kaelen Ruder will compete for a national championship on Saturday, November 23rd, in Terre Haute, Indiana. It's also the fifth consecutive year that the Knights will send an athlete to the championship meet, which will take place on the famous LaVern Gibson cross country course. The meet will be streamed on ncaa.com.

Kaelen Ruder - 2024 National Qualifier

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightxctf on Instagram.