Perrin, Colorado win NCAA cross-country title

Zach Perrin and his University of Colorado teammates captured the NCAA Division I men’s cross country title on Saturday at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind.

Colorado, ranked No. 3 in the nation, had five individuals in the top 78 spots to earn a score of 149 on a day where wind chills in the teens and a muddy course really challenged the runners.

Top-ranked Northern Arizona, 169, was second and No. 2 Oklahoma State, winners of three of the last four NCAA titles, finished third with a 230 tally.

It was Colorado’s fourth men’s title. All have come since 2001.

Perrin, a freshman from Kalispell, was Colorado’s No. 6 runner this time out, placing 108th overall with a time of 31 minutes, 23.3 seconds in the 10,000-meter race. His split time was 6:23.3.

Colorado’s top runner — freshman Ben Saarel — was eighth overall in 30:14.1. His split was 6:03.8.

Colorado’s other scoring runners finished 17th, 23rd, 39th and 95th.

Colorado’s seventh entrant was 178th overall.

There were 254 finishers in the men’s race.

Edward Cheserek, a freshman from Oregon, had the best time overall, 29:41.1.

Only three runners broke 30 minutes.

The top-ranked Providence women won the team title. Abbey D’Agostino of Dartmouth was the individual women’s champion with a time of 20:00.3 for the 6,000-meter race.