KENOSHA - The UW-Eau Claire men's cross country team started off the 2006 season with a sixth place finish at UW-Parkside's Midwest Collegiate Championship today.

Of the 18 schools in the meet, North Dakota State University won with 39 points and the first, second, and fourth runners. Saginaw Valley State University put up 72, one ahead of Hillsdale College's score. North Central College placed fourth with 77 and Lewis University was way behind that at 168. The Blugolds put up 180 for sixth. Michigan Tech's 215 took seventh.

Last year the Blugolds placed eighth at the Midwest Collegiate and only took sixth once all season in meets with over six teams. That sixth place meet was the Blugold Open.

Kevin Hall (So.-Green Bay/Preble), one of Eau Claire's best runners last year, took 26th in 27:11. Jules Miller (So.-Green Bay/East) scored one place behind him with a time of 27:17. Freshman Brian Riley (Chippewa Falls) ran 27:57 in his first Blugold race to pick up 37 points. Chris Wirtz (Fr.-Weston) was in the same situation and garnered 40 points on a 27:59 time. Ted Lillie (Sr.-North St. Paul, MN) ran 28:21 for a 50 score and was the last Blugold to grab counted points.

The Blugolds head to either the Carleton JV meet in Northfield, MN or the University of Minnesota event next weekend.

Team Scores: 1) North Dakota State University 39; 2) Saginaw Valley State University 72; 3) Hillsdale College 73; 4) North Central College 77; 5) Lewis University 168; 6) UW-Eau Claire 180; 7) Michigan Tech 215; 8) St. Norbert College 240; 9) UW-Green Bay 253; 10) UW-Stout 283.

Top Blugold Finishers: 26) Kevin Hall 27:11 27) Jules Miller 27:17 37) Brian Riley 27:57 40) Chris Wirtz 27:59 50) Ted Lillie 28:21.

Final Results

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