SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Despite hot, muggy running conditions, the Concordia-St. Paul men's and women's cross country teams were able to compete in their season opening meet at the Augustana Twilight on Friday night at Yankton Trails where freshman Estee VerSteeg broke a 29-year old school record for fastest 5k.

Meet officials delayed the start times of the races which ranged from multiple high school JV distances, the varsity boys and girls 5k races and the men's and women's college race start times were flipped in order, with the men running first at 9:45 p.m. in a shortened 5k (instead of four miles), while the women's 5k followed at 10:15 p.m.

Freshman Estee VerSteeg had a strong debut to highlight the race for the team, finishing in 27th place among a field of 349, finishing in a time of 18:20.0 while junior Kayla Anderson, a second-year cross country runner at CSP, gave the program a pair of top-75 finishers. Anderson placed 72nd at 19:18.0.

VerSteeg's 18:20.0 time set a new program record, breaking a 29-year old record held by Kari Breitkreutz (18:45, 1997) and she was the 11th-fastest Northern Sun runner where 11 of the NSIC's 16 programs competed.

Anderson's time of 19:18 becomes the third-fastest junior 5k time and also the third-fastest in program history at the Yankton Trails course, 31 seconds faster than her run last year. 

On the men's side, the Golden Bears took 24th out of 33 teams, edging out Northern Sun member Northern State by three points. 

In a field of 478 runners, the men were paced by Travis Tock's 140th place finish at 16:32.8. Josh Krummel finished in 201st at 16:58.8, just ahead of Zay Acosta (17:12.1, 246th) and Austin Burgess, who made his debut by placing 258th and just 3.6 seconds behind Acosta at 17:15.7. 

more official results & team notes to be posted on Saturday