PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Northwest Missouri State men's cross country squad further cemented the legacy of the program by grabbing back-to-back MIAA championships.
 
Senior Aziz Mohammed captured the individual crown and teammate senior Drew Atkins took second-place honors to pace the Bearcat effort. Mohammed and Atkins gained first-team all-MIAA status, while sophomore John Langill and junior Grayson Tapp posted honorable mention all-MIAA efforts to bolster the team score.
 
The Bearcat men tallied 54 points to claim first as they edged out the host school Pittsburg State with the Gorillas gaining 67 team points.
 
Northwest has won MIAA cross country team championships in 1972, 2024 and 2025.
 
Bearcat Men's 8K
In the men's 8K Northwest secured first place with five runners finishing in the top 25. Senior Aziz Mohammed (24:16.06), senior Drew Atkins (24:23.71), and sophomore John Langill (25:17.76), junior Grayson Tapp, and senior Maxime Touron (25:30.87) finished first, second, 14th, 16th, and 21st respectively. Touron set a new personal best in the men's 8K. Northwest produced seven top-30 efforts in the championship race.
 
Northwest Men 8K Final Times - MIAA Championships
1. Aziz Mohammed — 24:16.06  
2. Drew Atkins — 24:23.71  
14. John Langill — 25:17.76  
16. Grayson Tapp — 25:21.83  
21. Maxime Touron — 25:30.87  
26. Barnabe Gabillet — 25:39.06  
28. Tyler Blay — 25:41.96  
41. Austin Goetsche — 26:18.19  
45. Charlie Kinslow — 26:25.07  
57. Levi Allen — 26:40.02  
 
MIAA Championships Team Scores (Men)
1. Northwest Missouri State (54)  
2. Pittsburg St. (67)  
3. Washburn (77)  
4. Missouri Southern (124)  
5. Nebraska-Kearney (135)  
6. Fort Hays St. (158)  
7. Missouri Western (175)  
8. Rogers State (188)  
9. Emporia St. (266)  
10. Central Missouri (274)  
11. Newman (331)  
12. UA-Fort Smith (341)  
 
Up Next
The men's and women's teams will compete in the NCAA Central Regional Championships, scheduled for Nov. 8 in Joplin, Mo.