BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings men's and women's cross country programs opened the regular season in Spearfish, South Dakota, taking part in the Gage McSpadden Memorial Invite.
 
Running at Fort Meade, the women took part in a 4K, while the men raced in a 6K. The women's team finished with a team score of 96 points, coming in fourth place, while the men totaled 176 points, finishing in sixth place.
 
Leading the way for MSUB's women was a statement race for a pair of freshmen. Sarah Eichmann topped all MSUB finishers, finishing in 11^th place overall with a time of 15.37.2 in her debut race. Shortly behind her with a time of 15:45.5, fellow freshman Micah Strong came in 14^th overall. They would be joined inside the top 20 for the race by senior Cecily Eagleton, who would come in 17^th place with a time of 15:53.5, setting a new PR to open the season. Ally Coey would also run a great race, with the freshman finishing in 22^nd with a time of 16:02.9, while Chloe Shennum would round out the top five finishers for MSUB, setting a new 4K PR at 16:31.9 and coming in 36^th place.
 
Behind Shennum, Gabi Becker would finish 38^th with a time of 16:36.2. Then a swarm of Yellowjacket runners would place in the 40's, with Gracyn Rock coming in 40^th with a time of 16:48.1, Kaelyn Sangray in 43^rd with a time of 16:56.9, Toree Manning in 44^th with a time of 17:04.9, and Angela Russo in 45^th with a time of 17:05.9. Rounding out the list of competitors for MSUB was Emma Weaver, who PR'd with a time of 18:25.2, ranking in 56^th place.
 
For the men's team, MSUB's top finisher would be Will Hyatt, who set a 6K PR of 19:54.7 on his way to a 35^th place finish. Behind Wyatt, freshman Bruce Reed would be the next Yellowjacket to cross the finish line, taking 51^st with a time of 20:50.1. Senior Wyatt May would then place 60^th with a mark of 21:11.8. The top five finishers for the men would be rounded out by Lennon Davis, who would finish his race with a time of 21:50.9 to finish 71^st, followed immediately in 72^nd by Caleb Burton, who ran a time of 21:54.1. The 'Jackets would also see John Achter come in 74^th with a time of 21:58.5, and Hunter Bailey complete his race in 78^th with a mark of 22:07.6.
 
THE BUZZ: Eichmann and Hyatt were named as the Intermountain Health Athletes of the Meet.
 
UP NEXT: Both Yellowjacket teams are set to run next on Saturday, September 20^th at the Blue Hawk Invite hosted by Dickinson State University, which will be run in Medora, North Dakota. Links to results will be made available on both the men's and women's schedule pages.