The competition was as fierce as the weather for the Cyclones at the NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championship in Fort Dodge, Iowa. They ran well under messy conditions, finishing 34th out of 46 colleges.

With an 8K course covered in ice and snow and trod on by previous races that day, conditions were not ideal for any runner, but it helped demonstrate the grit and focus of this team.

"I am very proud of the effort the men displayed in that race. The conditions were less than ideal, and it was the first meet with that much snow for everyone, including myself. But they now get to say they experienced 'true cross country conditions,'" said Head Coach Dimitri Dimizas. "There's often a stigma with Americans and this sport, where we are too fixated on fast times and looking to race on flat and fast courses because the numbers look nice on paper. But the beauty of the sport is that it's all about competition, regardless of the conditions, the obstacles or the distance."

Leading the Cyclones pack was Angelo Esparza, who crossed the finish line in 135th place out of 343 runners in 29:46. Coming in after him was Matthew Busch (194th place, 30:52), Gavin Rybicki (206th place, 31:11), Andrew Leon (215th place, 31:19), Jacob Madera (227th place, 31:29) and Brennan Rudolph (255th place, 32:13).

"Our men enjoyed themselves and supported each other from the start line all the way past the finish, and that's about as successful as it gets," Dimizas noted. "I am happy we were able to cap off this season on a high note. It was a fitting close to Jacob and Brennan's careers as Cyclones."

For complete results, visit here. 

To watch the race, visit here.