TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Xander Gottner represented MSOE cross country on the national stage for the first time since 2015 on Saturday when he toed the line at the 2024 NCAA National Championship. Mixing it up with the lead pack for a majority of the beginning part of the race, Gottner had the highest finish in program history, finishing 43^rd.

RESULTS
Gottner – 43^rd Place (24:49.4)

HOW IT HAPPENED   

• Gottner went to the front the gun, setting the tone for the race leading at both the 1,000-meter split (2:39.7) and 2,000-meter split (5:41.3, 3:01.6). After 3,000-meters, the heavy hitters made their move to push the lead group as Gottner headed back to the chase pack in 25^th place as he hit the halfway mark at 12:08.9.
• Gottner did his best to stay in that All-American position from there as he was in 37^th place at both the 5,000-meter split and 5,600-meter split. Fading to the final All-American split at 6,500-meter split and under a mile to go, just too many runners went past him as he finished in 43^rd place with a final time of 24:49.4, just three seconds back of the final All-American spot.

WORDS FROM THE RAIDERS
"I was very happy with how today went and feel like this was great experience for me to have to finish off the season. It's going to help immensely as we head into the indoor season." - Xander Gottner

"I'm so proud of Xander and how he performed today. We said our strategy wouldn't change just because of the stage; we were going to go with the leaders that what we did and had the lead through 3k and never came in. A great race and a great season from him, I just wish I could've come up win a plan make him four seconds faster to make him All-American." – Head Coach Bill Massoels.

WHAT'S NEXT
Gottner capped off a season for the record books from MSOE men's cross country that won the Ken Weidt Classic to open the season and followed three second-place finishes, all behind teams ranked in the Top 15 nationally. The Raiders had their highest ranking ever regionally at sixth and had ten All-Conference finishes at the conference championship on November 2^nd where Gottner was the champion with 21 points.

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