Mystics Make Their Mark at Nationals

The Bismarck State College Mystics Cross Country team traveled to Richmond, Va. to compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association Nationals on Nov. 9, 2024. Only six members from both the women’s and men’s team were able to go to Nationals. Those with the strongest times were selected to compete in the 5k run at Nationals. The top three strongest runners competed in the half marathon.

The Mystics cross-country team spent months training for Nationals. Starting in August, the team trained for a number of smaller meets that led up to Nationals. The team competed in six cross-country meets throughout September to November, from Medora to Moorhead to Glendive. Local meets included two at McDowell Dam, with many of the cross-country team achieving personal records at the second McDowell meet. All their hard work led up to a strong showing at Nationals.

The NJCAA competition took place at Pole Green Park, an area bordered by autumn trees. The course was a dusty yet flat area with little incline. The weather allowed for a good race; though the heat was strong on the athletes' first day in Virginia, race day was much cooler. The women ran a 5k race, while the men ran an 8k.  Both teams did well, with the women’s team placing in 12th and the men’s team placing in 7th. The Mystics competed against over 40 teams from across the country.

Each runner contributed to the team’s placement. On the women’s team, Ava Stafford led the charge with a time of 19:13.2. Stafford placed 16th and was followed by Paysha Rex, who placed 52nd with a time of 20:17.4. Lindsey Schroeder followed close in 60th place with a time of 20:28.3. Amelia Shepard placed 139th with a time of 21:48.8. Sophia Fafard placed 173rd with a time of 22:16.1,  while Kaitlyn Bancroft placed 198th with a time of 22:44.9. The women competed against 317 runners.

On the men’s team, Morgan Brindley took 7th place with a time of 25:39.1. Ivar Martell followed in 43rd with a time of 26:45.1. Peyton Sims and Brody Ferderer placed close together, in 51st and 53rd with times of 26:54.0 and 26:59.9. Following was Dalton Fleckenstein, who finished in 75th with a time of 27:27.5. Justin Burud rounded out the team’s efforts by placing 101st with a time of 27:54.7. The men competed against 315 runners.

Stafford shared her expectations coming into the race after a strong season. At Nationals, she set a personal record for herself in the 5k race.

“I was expecting for there to be a lot of people — obviously because there were 50 teams on the line — so I was expecting to get boxed in pretty early, which I did because it narrows down really fast, but I was able to get around it pretty good, and it actually helped me to not start out as fast so that was good,” Stafford said. “I got 16th. I was hoping to be all-American, but I was one off, but I was still really happy with the outcome…I PR’d and it was a good race day.”

Brindley also shared his expectations coming into the race as well as the outcome.

“I was expecting it to go out fast, and it did not go out nearly as fast as I thought it would,” Brindley said. “So I was, like, right where I needed to be from the beginning. And then, I guess the outcome was pretty much what I expected. I expected to do a little bit better than I was ranked.”

Last year, the women’s team placed 21st at Nationals, while the men placed 8th. The teams’ placement this year represents the progress they have made and showcases the results of their hard work and effort.