Ashland, NE – Led by sophomore Bailey Taig's (Perth, Australia/Quinn's Baptist College) historic performance, the No. 13 nationally ranked Indian Hills Men's Cross Country team competed at the Platte River Rumble Gold at Mahoney State Park on Friday night. The Warriors placed eighth overall as a team in their season opener.

Competing as the lone sophomore returner for the Warriors, Taig placed 14^th overall in 100 athlete field, posting a personal-best mark of 18:21.5 in the 6k event. The sophomore's time is the second-fastest mark in program history for the Warriors. Taig shaved more than one full minute off of his previous personal-best 6k time set last season, also at the Platte River Rumble.

Taig was followed by freshman Moustafa Tiea (Iowa City, IA/Iowa City West) who placed 42^nd overall with a time of 18:59.2 while fellow freshman Brian Kiprop (Eldoret, Kenya/Jamaica College) placed 50^th overall with a time of 19:06.6. The two marks ranks fifth and sixth-best in program history. Freshmen Evan Beeler (Farragut, TN/Farragut) and Ty Muniz (Columbus Junction, IA/Columbus Junction) rounded out the team scoring for the Warriors while rookies Jace Matern (Waterloo, IA/Columbus Catholic) and Presley Berns (Evansdale, IA/Waterloo West) also made their collegiate debuts.

The Warriors were one of three junior college programs to compete in the primarily NCAA DI event that feature the likes of Kansas State University, Creighton University, and the University of Nebraska. As a team, the Warriors averaged a time of 19:10, a nine-second improvement from last year's performance at the Platte River Rumble. 

Next up for the Warriors is the Bradley Intercollegiate Friday, September 19 at Detweiller Park in Peoria, IL.

NEW YEAR - WHAT TO KNOW

Fans can keep up the Indian Hills Cross Country squads all year long through a number of ways:

• X (formerly Twitter): @IHCCAthletics  |  @IHCCRunning
• Facebook: Indian Hills Athletics 
• Instagram: @IHCCXCTF  |  @IHCCAthletics
• Youtube: Indian Hills Athletics
• Website: www.indianhillsathletics.com
• Catch up with the history of Indian Hills Cross Country: IHCC Women's XC Record Book  |  IHCC Men's XC Record Book

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