The Montana State men's cross country team.
Photo by: Kyle Cajero
20 Years in the Making: Montana State Men’s Cross Country Qualifies for NCAAs
11/12/2022 7:51:00 PM | Men's Cross Country
For the first time since 2002, the Montana State men’s cross country team will send its full squad to the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
BOZEMAN, Mont. — Montana State's 2022 cross country season is officially one for the record books.
For the first time since 2002, the Bobcat men's cross country team has qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Montana State was one of 13 teams to earn an at-large bid and one of only two Big Sky schools to qualify as a team for the national championships.
"It's so satisfying having Montana State competing at the NCAA Cross Country Championships," Dale Kennedy Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Lyle Weese said. "So to see a full team qualify is really exciting. It's really great to represent the state and continue building upon where we have been. Qualifying for nationals really helps everyone in the Montana State cross country and track program see the goal and motivate them to work towards that next level."
Prior to this year, the last time the Bobcats qualified as a team for NCAAs was in 2002, when a team led by top-10 finishes from Weese and Casey Jermyn placed fifth at the Mountain Regionals. That team would go on to place 11th at NCAAs.
"This team reminds me of the 2002 team," Weese said. "Both teams have a lot of runners from Montana high schools who came together who kept getting better over the years and were able to get to a level where they were able to compete with the rest of the NCAA. I think this team and the 2002 team are both so close-knit and treat each other well."
Yesterday, the Bobcats placed fifth at the NCAA Mountain Regional while competing against four of the nation's top-10 teams. Individually, Duncan Hamilton and Matthew Richtman placed third and fourth, respectively, to qualify individually for nationals. Yet the duo wasn't satisfied with sending just individuals to NCAAs.
"Last year we definitely had a sour taste in our mouths," Richtman said. "Obviously Duncan and I made it as individuals, but that wasn't exactly what we wanted. Getting to nationals as a team has been all we've talked about over the last few years. This past weekend wasn't about any individual performance — it only mattered how the team did."
For fifth-year seniors like Hamilton and Cooper West, qualifying for nationals has been a goal years in the making. The duo — who were competitors throughout middle school and high school at Bozeman High School and Great Falls CMR High School, respectively — enrolled at MSU five years ago and are the last two runners from their recruiting class. Both runners believed Montana State could make it to the NCAAs; they just had to see it through.
"This has been pretty special because of how we've progressed over the past five years," West said. "This didn't happen right away when Duncan and I first came here, but we knew we wanted to build a program like this by the time we were seniors. Being part of building a program like this is special."
During the regular season, the 2022 Bobcats bolstered their resume with a fourth-place showing at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational, a win at the Weis-Crockett/Pre-Nationals race and a runner-up finish at the Big Sky Conference Championships. Montana State has notched head-to-head wins over six teams who qualified for NCAAs.
Throughout the season, Montana State has never placed lower than fifth as a team; individually, the Bobcats have accumulated a combined 23 individual top-10 finishes. From top to bottom, Montana State has had a versatile lineup where nearly every runner has the potential to score in the top five. So far, four different MSU runners have acted as the team's fourth or fifth runners.
"Our order has switched around a lot this season — we've never had the same order," Richtman said. "Going into a meet, we're not sure who's going to be in the top five, but we know that someone is going to step up when it matters."
As it stands, five of MSU's top seven runners are expected to return next season — including All-Big Sky selections Richtman and Ben Perrin. With talented underclassmen like Levi Taylor, Rob McManus and Owen Smith set to come back, the Bobcats might not wait another 20 years in between NCAA Championship appearances.
"We want to concentrate on having our best performance," Weese said. "Thinking back to the 2002 team, I don't think we thought we were going to place 11th. We were one of the last teams in. This team can do something similar. Success at the national meet is mostly determined by not being overwhelmed in the moment. I don't think this team will be overwhelmed."
The 2022 NCAA Cross Country Championships will take place a the Greiner Family Cross Country Course, located in Stillwater, Okla. on Nov. 19. The men's race is scheduled to start at 9:10 a.m. MT and the race will be televised on ESPNU.
2022 MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ACCOLADES
For the first time since 2002, the Bobcat men's cross country team has qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Montana State was one of 13 teams to earn an at-large bid and one of only two Big Sky schools to qualify as a team for the national championships.
"It's so satisfying having Montana State competing at the NCAA Cross Country Championships," Dale Kennedy Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Lyle Weese said. "So to see a full team qualify is really exciting. It's really great to represent the state and continue building upon where we have been. Qualifying for nationals really helps everyone in the Montana State cross country and track program see the goal and motivate them to work towards that next level."
Prior to this year, the last time the Bobcats qualified as a team for NCAAs was in 2002, when a team led by top-10 finishes from Weese and Casey Jermyn placed fifth at the Mountain Regionals. That team would go on to place 11th at NCAAs.
"This team reminds me of the 2002 team," Weese said. "Both teams have a lot of runners from Montana high schools who came together who kept getting better over the years and were able to get to a level where they were able to compete with the rest of the NCAA. I think this team and the 2002 team are both so close-knit and treat each other well."
Yesterday, the Bobcats placed fifth at the NCAA Mountain Regional while competing against four of the nation's top-10 teams. Individually, Duncan Hamilton and Matthew Richtman placed third and fourth, respectively, to qualify individually for nationals. Yet the duo wasn't satisfied with sending just individuals to NCAAs.
"Last year we definitely had a sour taste in our mouths," Richtman said. "Obviously Duncan and I made it as individuals, but that wasn't exactly what we wanted. Getting to nationals as a team has been all we've talked about over the last few years. This past weekend wasn't about any individual performance — it only mattered how the team did."
For fifth-year seniors like Hamilton and Cooper West, qualifying for nationals has been a goal years in the making. The duo — who were competitors throughout middle school and high school at Bozeman High School and Great Falls CMR High School, respectively — enrolled at MSU five years ago and are the last two runners from their recruiting class. Both runners believed Montana State could make it to the NCAAs; they just had to see it through.
"This has been pretty special because of how we've progressed over the past five years," West said. "This didn't happen right away when Duncan and I first came here, but we knew we wanted to build a program like this by the time we were seniors. Being part of building a program like this is special."
During the regular season, the 2022 Bobcats bolstered their resume with a fourth-place showing at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational, a win at the Weis-Crockett/Pre-Nationals race and a runner-up finish at the Big Sky Conference Championships. Montana State has notched head-to-head wins over six teams who qualified for NCAAs.
Throughout the season, Montana State has never placed lower than fifth as a team; individually, the Bobcats have accumulated a combined 23 individual top-10 finishes. From top to bottom, Montana State has had a versatile lineup where nearly every runner has the potential to score in the top five. So far, four different MSU runners have acted as the team's fourth or fifth runners.
"Our order has switched around a lot this season — we've never had the same order," Richtman said. "Going into a meet, we're not sure who's going to be in the top five, but we know that someone is going to step up when it matters."
As it stands, five of MSU's top seven runners are expected to return next season — including All-Big Sky selections Richtman and Ben Perrin. With talented underclassmen like Levi Taylor, Rob McManus and Owen Smith set to come back, the Bobcats might not wait another 20 years in between NCAA Championship appearances.
"We want to concentrate on having our best performance," Weese said. "Thinking back to the 2002 team, I don't think we thought we were going to place 11th. We were one of the last teams in. This team can do something similar. Success at the national meet is mostly determined by not being overwhelmed in the moment. I don't think this team will be overwhelmed."
The 2022 NCAA Cross Country Championships will take place a the Greiner Family Cross Country Course, located in Stillwater, Okla. on Nov. 19. The men's race is scheduled to start at 9:10 a.m. MT and the race will be televised on ESPNU.
2022 MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ACCOLADES
- Ranked 21st in the USTFCCCA national coaches' poll (best since 2002)
- Two All-Region selections: Duncan Hamilton (3rd), Matthew Richtman (4th)
- Three All-Big Sky Conference selections: Duncan Hamilton (3rd), Ben Perrin (6th), Matthew Richtman (8th)
- Two Big Sky XC Athlete of the Week awards: Duncan Hamilton (10/18), Ben Perrin (10/4)
- Three individual wins from Duncan Hamilton: 23:28.8 at the Weis-Crockett/Pre-Nationals Invitational, 24:30.9 at the MSU Cross Country Classic and 14:50.2 at the Bobcat Twilight race.
- Seven men have gone sub-25 in the 8K: Hamilton, Richtman, Perrin, West, Levi Taylor, Rob McManus, Owen Smith and Riley Collins.
- Four have gone sub-24 this season in the 8K: Hamilton, Richtman, Perrin and Cooper West
- Placed fifth or better as a team at all seven races this season
- Won the Weis-Crockett/Pre-Nationals Invitational
- Won the MSU Cross Country Classic with a perfect score
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
Big Sky Cross Country Championship
Sunday, October 31
Big Sky Cross Country Championship Preview | Men's Team
Friday, October 27
Dale Kennedy - Media Day | Nov. 12, 2013
Wednesday, November 13
Cristian Soratos - Media Day | Oct. 22, 2013
Wednesday, October 23
