Results

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Saint John's cross country started its 2026 season with a ninth-place finish out of 33 teams at the Augustana Twilight on Friday night, Sept. 4, at Yankton Trail Park.

Division I South Dakota State won the 5k race with 30 points, followed by Division I South Dakota (36), the host Vikings (99) and Division II MSU-Mankato (121). SJU was the top NCAA Division III team in ninth with 322 points, 80 behind NAIA Northwestern (Iowa) in eighth (242).

Senior Cole Stencel (Mapleton, Minn./Maple River) picked up where he left off in his All-America season last spring, topping his personal-best 5k time by 38 seconds after crossing the line in 14:56.1. That time was good for eighth out of 478 runners and was faster than all but six Division I competitors. He led all of Division II and III. 

Senior Max McCoy (Bennington, Neb./Mount Michael Benedictine) finished next for the Johnnies, finishing his race in 16:16.7 for 103rd.

Sophomore Erick Montalvo (St. Paul, Minn./Roseville Area) wasn't far behind, taking 110th with a time of 16:20.1. 

Freshman Quinn Carroll (West Fargo, N.D./Shanley) took 123rd with a 16:26.3 in his first race as a Johnnie.

Seniors Jacob Malecha (Lonsdale, Minn./New Prague) and Vincent Kaluza (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) rounded out the top six in 139th (16:32.2) and 144th, (16:36.9) respectively.

The Johnnies and Saint Benedict host the annual Toni St. Pierre Invitational in two weeks at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at River Oaks G.C. in Cold Spring.