JOPLIN, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State men's cross-country team secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II XC National Championships with a strong 76-point runner-up team finish. Leading the way for the Bearcats, Grant Bradley, Nate Mueller, and Drew Atkins placed second, third, and sixth individually, helping Northwest earn its 14th appearance at the championship meet.
 
Northwest Men 10K
The Bearcat men secured second with 76 points, narrowly trailing East Central (Okla.), who claimed the title with 71 points. With the second-place finish, it ties as the highest team finish since 2019, 
 
Bradley led the Bearcats, clocking in at 30:16.26, the fifth-best 10,000-meter time in Northwest history – No 8 nationally. Mueller followed closely, taking third with the sixth-fastest time in program history at 30:21.64—No. 12 nationally.  Atkins, who holds Northwest's fourth-best all-time mark with a 30:15.5 set last season, finished seventh with a season-best 30:35.69- ranks No. 19 nationally. 
 
Northwest's 10,000 Meters all-time records
1. Jhordan Ccope - Joplin, Mo. - 29:38.1 - 2019
2. Karim Achengli - Joplin, Mo. - 30:04.6 - 2018
3. Jacob Nkamasiai - Joplin, Mo. - 30:04.87
4. Drew Atkins - Joplin, Mo. - 30:15.5 - 2023
5. Grant Bradley - Joplin, Mo. - 30:16.3 - 2024
6. Nate Mueller - Joplin, Mo. - 30:21.7 - 2024
7. Augostine Lisoreng - Joplin, Mo. - 30:25.9 - 2019
8. Fedrick Kipyego - Joplin, MO. - 30:31.98 - 2021
9. Jake Norris - Joplin, Mo. - 30:33.89 - 2022
10. Ryan Darling - Joplin, Mo. - 30:54.6 - 2012
11. Vernon Darling - Maryville, Mo. - 30:55:00 - 1978
12. Brayden Clews-Proctor - Joplin, Mo. - 30:56 - 2016
13. Jim Ryan - Kenosha, Wisc. - 31:03:00 - 1983
14. Austin Goetsche - Joplin, Mo. - 31:05.26 - 2022
15. Trevor Ramsdell - Joplin, Mo. - 31:12.97 - 2022
 
Supporting the Bearcats' strong team performance were Tyler Blay (25th), Brandon Mundorf (39th), Riley Witt (58th), and Sam Shipp (69th), allowing Northwest to outpace MIAA rival Pittsburg State, who finished in third with 103 points.
 
Northwest Men's Central Region Championship Individual Results
2. Grant Bradley – 30:16.26*
3. Nate Mueller – 30:21.64*
7. Drew Atkins – 30:35.69
25. Tyler Blay – 31:22.51*
39. Brandon Mundorf – 31:40.74*
58. Riley Witt – 32:07.65
69. Sam Shipp – 32:14.43*
* - indicates personal record
 
Top 10 Central Region Championship Men's 10K Team Results 

1. East Central – 71 points
2. Northwest Missouri State – 76 points
3. Pittsburg State – 103 points
4. Washburn – 175 points
5. Nebraska Kearney – 176 points
6. Harding – 177 points
7. Augustana (S.D.) – 185 points
8. Oklahoma Baptist – 291 points
9. Missouri Western – 307 points
10. MSU Moorhead – 310 points

 
Northwest Women 6K
The Bearcat women's team finished in 8th place with a team score of 194 points. Thibault led the way with a 15th-place individual finish, posting a time of 21:33.39, while Lydia McGlocklin secured 18th with a time of 21:40.91. Mayson Hartley added a solid performance, placing 34th with a time of 21:57.05.
 
Thibault's time ranks No. 8 on Northwest's all-time 6K record list, with Hartley's at No. 11. McGlocklin holds the program's ninth-fastest time from her 2022 race in Ashland, Neb. (21:37.1), and Bakker entered the record book at No. 13.
 
The 2024 NCAA Div. II National Championships are set for Saturday, Nov. 23 Arcade Creek Cross Country Course in Sacramento, Calif. 
 
Northwest Women's Central Region Championship Individual Results
15. Alyna Thibault – 21:33.39*
18. Lydia McGlocklin – 21:40.91
34. Mayson Hartley – 21:57.05*
41. Olivia Bakker – 22:05.56*
88. Bree Mauro – 22:56.62
102. Lou Maquaire – 23:10.33*
106. Shelby Harris – 23:18.04
* - indicates personal record
 
Top 10 Central Region Championship Women's 6K Team Results 

1. Augustana (S.D) – 82 points
2. Pittsburg State – 110 points
3. University of Mary – 116 points
4. Winona State – 130 points
5. Rogers State – 137 points
6. Fort Hays State – 117 points
7. Nebraska Kearney – 184 points
8. Northwest Missouri State – 194 points
9. Minnesota State – 289 points
10. Ouachita Baptist – 291 points