With much anticipation, select members from the Missouri men’s and women’s cross country teams were put to the test at the National Open in State College, Pennsylvania on Friday, Oct. 12.

The women’s team, consisting of nine runners, placed ninth overall. The eight men in attendance placed 15th overall.

Freshman Tori Findley led the women’s team, finishing first for the team for the second meet in a row and placing 16th overall in 21:01. Freshman Mikayla Reed finished 21 seconds behind Findley, placing 42nd overall.

Junior Kieran Wood paced the men’s team, also consecutively, placing 20th overall. Wood was followed by redshirt senior Evan Schulte, who jumped up in the team rankings and finished 84th overall.

While top runners competed at the National Open, the team also made an appearance at Bradley Pink Classic at Peoria, Illinois. The men placed 31st overall, women 37th.

Redshirt senior Zach Cook paced the men and redshirt junior Samantha Farmer the women placing 91st and 190th respectively.

Missouri will now convert to postseason competition as they prepare to compete in the SEC Championships on Oct. 26 at Auburn, Alabama.

_Edited by Bennett Durando | bdurando@themaneater.com_