Fresh off being named National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Cross Country Runner of the Week on Sept. 15, Biola senior Lyndee Dawson shone in Riverside. The senior’s time of 17:41 in the 5,000 meter was good for fifth overall at the UC Riverside invitational on Sept. 17.

Possibilty of being better

Second-year runner Emily Ransom finished ninth with a time of 17:53, with fellow sophomore Hannah Hunsaker just two seconds behind her at 10th overall.

Dawson, Ransom and Hunsaker helped Biola to a second-place finish out of 20 teams in the race. Only the University of Arkansas, who had the first place finishing runner, scored higher than the Eagles.

“Our team has been doing really well,” Dawson said. “The people that returned from last year are a lot stronger, so our team has a possibility of being even better than last year. It’s really exciting to see. I know it’s early in the season, but we’re definitely progressing, which is always something a team looks for.”

Biola’s dominance in the women’s 5k extended beyond the top 10. Eight Eagles finished within the top 50, and 11 within the top 65.

Thompson finishes strong

On the men’s side, sophomore Ryan Thompson finished 39th overall in the 8k with a time of 25:23, which was the best mark on the Biola men’s team. It marked the second instance in as many races that Thompson finished best for the Eagles.

Junior Miles Brubacher came in right behind Thompson at 44th overall with a time of 25:27. Freshman Gabe Plendcio, the last of the trio of Eagles in the top 50, continued his impressive start at Biola with a 48th finish at 25:31.

The field for the men’s 8k on Saturday consisted of 29 teams and 331 runners, by far the largest competition Biola has participated in to date this season. As a team, the Biola men finished in the middle of the pack in 16th place.

Biola cross country will next run at the Charles Bowles Invitational in Salem, Ore. on Oct. 1.