Manchester Women Claim HCAC Title as Men Finish Runner-Up

Manchester Women Claim HCAC Title as Men Finish Runner-Up

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Manchester hosted the HCAC Championship, capturing the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference women’s cross country title with 27 points and a total time of 1:52:47.00. The title gave Manchester back-to-back HCAC Women’s Cross Country Championships after winning in 2025 and again in 2026.

While the women’s team dominated the HCAC Championship by outpacing second-place Hanover and placing four runners in the top six, the Manchester men’s team finished runner-up with 47 points in the nine-team standings, trailing Rose-Hulman’s winning total of 31 points.

Women Claim Back-to-Back Titles on Home Turf

Manchester secured the women’s 6K victory with a winning team result that included a 22:33.40 average. Chesnee Miller paced the squad in second place with a time of 21:50.70. She was followed by Ava Egolf in fourth at 22:23.60, Ayla Cashdollar in fifth at 22:28.90, Chloe Stalhood in sixth at 22:50.50, and Kadence Fox rounding out the top ten in 23:13.30.

Miller, Egolf, Cashdollar, Stalhood, Fox, Addison Sterk, and freshman Annika Retana were all named HCAC All-Conference. Additionally, Retana collected HCAC Newcomer of the Year honors, and Brian Cashdollar was recognized as the HCAC Women’s Coach of the Year.

Men Finish Second Behind Rose-Hulman

In the men’s 8K event, Manchester totaled 2:09:48.20 with a 25:57.64 average to take second place behind Rose-Hulman. Austin Johnson captured the individual title by winning the race in 24:57.70, earning HCAC Runner of the Year honors. Darius Osborn followed closely behind in second place with a time of 25:36.30.

Additional scoring for the men’s squad came from Jonah Miller in eighth at 25:54.10, Charlie Baker in 15th at 26:17.40, and Rony Hernandez in 32nd at 27:02.70. Johnson, Osborn, and Jonah Miller received HCAC All-Conference selections, while Baker earned HCAC All-Conference Honorable Mention. Manchester will next travel to the Great Lakes Regional at Forrest Acres East GC, MI, on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m.

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