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.
Women's Results
27th -
Estee VerSteeg - 18:20.0 – Personal Best Time – CSP School Record in Cross Country in the 5K breaking the previous record by 25 seconds. That school record dates back to 1997. Estee established a new CSP course record on the Yankton Trails Course.
72th -
Kayla Anderson - 19:18.0 – Personal Best time improving by 31.8 seconds from her 2025 Augie Twilight performance. Kayla runs the 11
th fastest cross country 5K by a CSP runner in school history. Kayla runs the 3
rd fastest race by a CSP sophomore. Kayla runs the 3
rd fastest race by a CSP runner at the Yankton Trails.
179th -
Lauryn Rosenthal - 20:44.7 – Season Best Time.
297th -
Noelle Boyd - 23:09.9 – Personal Best Time
Men's Results
140th -
Travis Tock - 16:32.8 – Personal Best. 3
rd fastest cross country 5K in CSP school history. Fastest XC 5K by a CSP junior.
201th -
Josh Krummel - 16:58.8 – Personal Best. 5
th fastest cross country 5K in CSP school history. Fastest XC 5K by a CSP senior.
247th -
Zay Acosta - 17:12.1 – Personal Best. 6
th fastest cross country 5K in CSP school history. 2
nd fastest XC 5K by a CSP junior.
259th -
Austin Burgess - 17:15.7 – Personal Best. 7
th fastest cross country 5K in CSP school history. 3
rd fastest XC 5K by a CSP First Year.
294th -
Nathaniel Merrell - 17:27.6 – Personal Best. 8
th fastest cross country 5K in CSP school history. 2
nd fastest XC 5K by a CSP sophomore.
316th -
Brock Johnson - 17:37.9 – Personal Best. 9
th fastst cross country 5K in CSP school history. 3
rd fastest XC 5K by a CSP sophomore.
332th -
Jordan Stumm - 17:45.7 – Personal Best. 5
th fastest XC 5K by a CSP sophomore.
340th -
Eoin Schulze - 17:49.0 – Personal Best. 4
th fastest XC 5K by a CSP First Year.
408th -
Jovani Iglesias - 18:39.0 – Personal Best. 6
th fastest XC 5K by a CSP sophomore.
