COLUMBIA, Mo. - The University of Mobile Men's Cross Country team participated in the 2024 NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championship on Friday, Nov. 22, competing against the top collegiate teams and runners from across the NAIA in an 8,000-meter event. Mobile earned an automatic qualifying bid as a team after winning the program's first-ever SSAC Men's Cross Country Championship two weeks ago.
The Rams eventually placed 30th overall out of 36 total teams, recording a team score of 792. College of Idaho claimed this year's national title in the NAIA, while Evert Silva of Oklahoma City won the individual championship with an impressive 23:14.0 showing, seven seconds shy of the course record at Gans Creek XC Course in Missouri.
Individual Results for Mobile
Joey Jones was Mobile's highest finisher on Friday, placing 133rd with a time of 25:22.1. Jacob Harned followed, recording a time of 25:33.9 in 164th, while Joe Stevens managed a 199th-place finish with a time of 25:50.9.
Preston Webb crossed the line fourth for Mobile, scoring a 26:13.1 in 238th. He was then followed by William Givens and Reiley English, who finished back-to-back in 292nd and 293rd, recording times of 27:08.9 (Givens) and 27:14.6 (English). Finally, Denzel Sawyer notched a 29:21.0 time in 314th as Mobile's final finisher.
331 total runners started Friday's 8k national championship, with the Rams averaging a time of 26:01.8. Mobile finished with a total time of 2:10:08.7.
Season Success
In his first season leading the University of Mobile Cross Country program, head coach Leith Rawson managed to lead the Rams to a conference championship and automatic berth to the national championship meet in the NAIA, aiming for similar success for both the men's and women's teams during the 2025 season, slated to begin next August/September.
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About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted, and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions, and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
