NIACC set to open season on Saturday
CEDAR RAPIDS - The NIACC men's cross country team will open the season Saturday at the 27th annual Mount Mercy Mustang Gallop.
The meet will be held at the Tuma Soccer Complex. The meet is set to start at 10 a.m.
The meet was originally scheduled to be held at Seminole Valley Park, the home course for Mount Mercy. However, Seminole Valley Park is serving as a collection point for damaged trees and storm debri from the derecho storm on Aug. 10 in Cedar Rapids.
The NIACC men return seven sophomores from last year's team that placed 18th at the NJCAA Division I national meet. Returning for the Trojans are Aidan Bauermeister, Ben Ellis, Janvier Irakoze, Jalen Petersen, Ellis Regan, Stephen Ringo and Jorge Ruiz.
The NIACC men have won the Mustang Gallop six times. The Trojans claimed titles in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012.
The last time the Trojans competed in the Mustang Gallop was 2014 when they placed third with 71 points.
In the 2014 Mustang Gallop, NIACC's Trey Simons placed third in the 5-kilometer race in a school-record time of 15 minutes, 31 seconds.
