The Park University men's cross country program braved the cold and rainy conditions on Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, coming away with Park's first men's cross country conference championship in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.
Park joined the Heart in 2020 and at the last two championships were the runner-up. This year Park broke through, sweeping the podium with the Heart Individual Champion and 2
nd and 3
rd place. This will be the third time Park has qualified has a team to the NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championship, going back to 2011 and 2013.
Park was led by the sophomore transfer from Western Colorado University,
Caden Peters. Peters already with a Heart Runner of the Week award is the new 2025 Heart Conference Champion. Peters ran is personal record at Seminole Valley Park with a 24:37.1.
There were more personal records to show for the Pirates in their championship race, including a runner-up finish from
Cayden Walker with a 24:47.3.
Tom Kuehnel, another Pirate with a Heart Runner of the Week award this season, got his personal record of 24:48.1 for 3rd place.
Palmer O'Connor put together an excellent race to help seal the victory for Park with a 24:54.1 for 7
th place. All of Park's four top finishers earned 2025 Heart 1
st Team All-Conference for placing within the top 10.
William Norris, as well as the rest of the previously mentioned Pirates, had a personal record and earned Heart Honorable Mention All-Conference with a 12
th place finish with a 25:04.6.
Also, within the 25 minute range were
Cody Hammond and
Jakob Johnston with quality performances in their own right at 24
th and 29
th. Hammond crossed at 25:32.4, while Johnston was just behind at 25:44.9.
See the remaining Pirates' times below.
Results
Park has punched their ticket as an automatic qualifier to the 2025 NAIA National Championship as a team, taking place in Tallahassee, Fla. at Apalachee Regional Park on Friday, November 21.
NAIA Qualifier Release
#ParkUNation
