JOPLIN, Missouri--No. 10 nationally ranked Azusa Pacific finished in tenth at the NCAA Division II National Men's Cross Country Championships on Saturday morning at the Tom Rutledge XC Course.

By finishing tenth in just their second NCAA national championships, the Cougars now have the second best finish by a Pacific West Conference team in the modern era, only behind California Baptist's fifth place standing in 2017. You have to go way back to a very different looking PacWest to find better--1996 when Portland State was eighth, and 1982 when Eastern Washington won the national division II title.

Azusa Pacific, who placed 21st last year, featured its top four runners finishing within six places and five seconds of each other. Juan Diego Castro, who placed second two weeks ago at the West Region Championships at Western Oregon, was APU's top runner in 60th (30:42). Right behind Castro was Nixon Korrir in 63rd (30:46.6), Felix Perrier in 64th (30:47.1) and Jared Wright in 65th (30:47.8). Benjamin Sumner was APU's fifth scorer in 113th (31:18).

Chico State, who won the West Regional two weeks ago, finished just ahead of Azusa Pacific in ninth place (309). Western Washington was the other west region team in the top half of the 34-team field in 16th (488). 

Wingate hoisted the team trophy with 70 points, just ahead of second-place Colorado School of Mines (79). East Central was third (108).

The individual national champ was William Amponsah of West Texas A&M, who blizted the field in 29:04. Nine second back was Simon Kelanti of Western Colorado (29:13) with Matthew Storer of Colorado Christian placing third (29:50). Johan Correa (Central Washington), who won the west region race in Oregon, earned NCAA All-American honors by crossing the line 17th (29:50). 

To see the complete results, click here.