By Bryson Hartzler, sports information assistant

Women's Results http://www.bluffton.edu/sports/crosscountry/2012/0908_women.pdf   I  Men's Results http://www.bluffton.edu/sports/crosscountry/2012/0908_men.pdf

The Bluffton University men’s and women’s cross country teams competed on their home course this weekend at the “Back to the Nature Preserve Invitational”. The invitational served as a course preview for the HCAC conference championships on October 27. Early morning showers passed and sunshine encompassed the Bluffton University Nature Preserve Saturday morning revealing damp conditions throughout the course. The Beavers traversed wet conditions against conference opponents Manchester and Defiance as well as several unattached runners.

The men took third overall with three athletes finishing in the top 15. Freshman Zachary Smith (West Unity/Hilltop) was the top finisher for the Beavers for the second week in a row, placing 7th overall with a time of 27:35.00. Colin McCloskey (Sylvania/Northview) was the second Beaver to cross the line, finishing 12th overall in 28:10.00 and Ryan Schadewald (Lima/Bath) came in 15th with a time of 28:33.00.

The women had a strong showing, finishing second behind reigning conference champions Manchester University. The women had three top 15 finishers led by senior captain Alison Janzen (Whitewater, Kan./Remington). Janzen finished in 8th place with a time of 26:13.00. Freshman Tara Murphy (Westerville/Thomas Worthington) was close behind and placed 9th overall in 26:24.00. Fellow freshman Demi Snider (Kenton) rounded out the top three for the Beavers in 14th place with a time of 27:24.00.

The Beavers are off next weekend and will return to action Saturday, September 22, at the Otterbein Invitational.