ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Cornell's men's cross country team defeated six regionally-ranked teams at Augustana's Interregional Invitational Saturday on Saukie Golf Course.
 
The No. 7 team in the Midwest Region, Cornell placed 18th out of 40 teams in the Gold Division which featured nine nationally-ranked programs. The Rams scored 535 points.
 
Cornell front runner Isaac vanWestrienen turned in another superb performance, crossing 12th out of 436 total finishers with a swift 8K time of 24:36. He was 10th among all collegians.
 
Senior Caleb Schopen enjoyed his best race of the fall, taking 108th in 25:52. Fisher Isaacson was 130th (26:06), Gabe Soda 185th (26:33) and Isaak Hutchings 197th (26:36) to round out Cornell's scoring five.
 
Gabe Hunt finished 252nd (27:06) and Liam Baldwin was 360th (28:18).
 
No. 2 nationally-ranked Wartburg won the team title with 41 points. UW-Whitewater's Christian Patzka posted a winning time of 23:52.
 
The Rams also ran in the Blue Division, taking 23rd out of 30 teams.
 
Ethyn Chesnut was Cornell's top finisher in 128th place (27:44). Parker Voigt was 187th, Isaac Morris 226th, Annan Weiland 233rd and Jaxon Barnes 244th.
 
Coming up – The Rams will be in the hunt for the team title at the Midwest Conference Championships Nov. 2 in Appleton, Wis.