BOLIVAR, Mo. – Missouri S&T's cross country teams opened their 2023 campaign Friday with sixth place finishes – as well as a top-10 finisher in each race – at the Southwest Baptist Invitational.

Emma Puetz took second in the women's five-kilometer race as she posted a time of 18:30, finishing nine seconds in back of winner Lilah Genel of Missouri Southern and six seconds ahead of Drury's Zoe Van Dijk.  The second place finish was the highest for Puetz in her S&T career in a cross country race.

Puetz was followed across the finish line by Victoria Regitz, who finished in 22^nd place in 19:42 and Grace Giesler, who was 40^th in 20:29.  The top five for S&T was completed by Clare Holmes in 44^th in a time of 20:43 and Kelly Zipfel, who finished in 22:50, while the next two across the line were Grace Johnson in 23:09 and Allison Rush in 24:36 in the race that saw 102 runners finish.

The Miners finished the race with 146 points to take sixth, finishing four points in front of Central Missouri.

The men's top finisher was freshman Henry Born (Lake Quivira, KS/Shawnee Mission Northwest), who completed the 6.25-kilometer course in 19:57.  He was followed to the finish line by Lucas Rackers (Florissant, MO/St. Louis University HS) in 19th place in 20:26 and Joshua Nunn (Independence, MO/Truman) in 31^st in a time of 20:55.  S&T's top five also included Joshua Patterson (Cameron, NC/Union Pines) in 37^th place in a time of 21:10 and Evan Mitchell (Shawnee, KS/Shawnee Mission Northwest), who completed the course in 21:13.  Samuel Patterson (Cameron, NC/Union Pines), with a time of 21:14 and Jacob Meyers (Lake St. Louis, MO/Homeschooled), who finished in 21:34, were the next two finishers for S&T.

Central Missouri's Brian Mitei claimed the individual title as he won in 19:31, five seconds in front of Drury's Tyler Harris as the Panthers captured the team title with 41 points.  S&T finished with 125 points to take sixth, finishing four points behind Missouri-St. Louis but well ahead of the other six teams that scored.  A total of 160 runners completed the race.

Missouri S&T's next competition is slated for Sept. 15 at the Larry Young Invitational in Columbia, Mo.