The Winona State University cross country teams ran at the Blugold Invitational in Eau Claire Friday, Sept. 28 with eight warriors setting season-best times at the meet in Wisconsin.

Junior Anna Rogahn was the top finisher for the women’s team, coming in 10th overall with a time of 22:31.9 on the 6k course. Senior Nicki Staffen, 22:55.2, and junior Olivia Anger, 23:27.2, both finished inside the top-50 while setting season-best times.

Two first-year runners, Allison Hendrickson, 24:04.3, and Katie Miller, 24:27.3, set career-best times. The Warrior women finished seventh place out of 25 teams.

The men’s 8k race saw four Warriors set season-best times. Senior Jesse Frank finished with the best time for the Warriors and 56th overall with a time of 26:27.5. First-year Josh Jarpey posted a top-100 finish with a season-best time of 27:01.3. Sophomore Ross Stevensen, 27:16.2, junior Isaiah

Warning, 27:58.6, and sophomore Cole Cohorst, 28:14.0, were the rest of the Warriors with season-best times. The men’s team placed 20th out of 29 teams.

The Warrior cross country teams have one more invitational meet that will take place on Friday, Oct. 19 in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, after the Waxlax invitational meet, the team will begin the postseason with the NSIC championships in Aberdeen, South Dakota on Nov. 3. The NCAA championship rounds will begin Nov. 17.

With three weeks in between their last meet and the upcoming Waxlax invitational, the Warrior runners will have had almost a month with no official race, however the team knows its important to stay motivated during this time..

“We stay motivated by showing up to practice with open minds and ready to push each other. We also be sure to keep up on the little things such as rolling, icing, stretching and keeping on top of injuries,” senior Nicole Staffen said. “Some days we have three-hour practices with a long workout and the weight room. For many of us workout days like that and running long miles, we feel really proud of the work we put in each day and that alone motivates us to keep going.”

On staying focused as a team, she added, “We don’t lose focus during this time we are in a high intensity and volume phase of the season and then we taper for our competition season starting in early November.”

Junior Isaiah Warning also touched on team goals and preparation.

“All of our goals that the team collectively came up with are hanging up in the locker room. We see those every day,” Warning said. “With that being said, at every practice we train with all those goals in our mind, so it keeps us focused for the next meet. With preparation, it’s trusting the practice and knowing it’s what we need as well as personal stuff like getting the right sleep and nutrition. We put all that in a log. The log helps keep us honest. We just know what we all want so you have to keep up the grind.”

With their break continuing this week, the team will continue to prepare themselves for the rest of the season.