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The MIAC Championship at Como Park in St. Paul, consists of a challenging 8-kilometer course. On Oct. 28, Travis Bristow’s legs crossed the finish line first. Bristow, a Hamline senior, took home the MIAC Men’s Cross Country individual crown and finished with a time of 26:02.52. St. John’s Mitch VanBruggen wouldn’t come in second for another 6.6 seconds, making Bristow’s performance that much more incredible. Bristow becomes the fourth Pipers to claim the individual crown. Tom Kreger did it in 2002, Dan Spear did it in 1975, and Dave Teague was the first Piper to do it, in 1973. The first place finish earned Bristow MIAC player of the week distinctions as well.

The Pipers took first place in points as a team last year and dominated the field as a team last Saturday, too. Hamline finished with 41 points and was edged out by only St. John’s, who had 35 points. The Pipers settled for second but had three individual runners take three of the top four finishes. After Bristow, Hamline senior Chris Yotter came in third with a time of 26:13.42 and junior Dan Steinbrecher came in fourth with a time of 26:15.57.

“We’re going to see good things [from the men]” said Hamline Athletic Director Dan O’Brien. “The MIAC Championships were not the best indicator of how good these guys can be,” O’Brien went on, speaking with pride if his team. “Coach Schmaedeke is the best cross country coach I’ve ever seen. He’s the best in the MIAC, best in Minnesota, and the best in the upper Midwest.”

Schmaedeke and the Pipers need to continue to finish strong every week if they wish to continue running to the NCAA Championships on Nov. 18. Next, Hamline will compete in at the NCAA Central Regional Championships at St. Olaf on Saturday. The event starts at 11 a.m.

“That’s our focus,” said Piper Coach Paul Schmaedeke. “We want to be the best at the end and [the central region] will be a battle.”

Last week, the Pipers ran the Burning Spear Mile at Hamline. The event is a scrimmage of sorts. Only Hamline men and women runners compete. They run a mile and record their times. No times were released, as the event takes place under an atmosphere of practice.

The MIAC also decided All-MIAC honors last week, and to no surprise, some Hamline names popped up. Bristow and Steinbrecher are now two-time All-MIAC runners and Yotter earned the accolade for the first time in his career. First-year Piper Ian Bauer earned All-MIAC honorable mention.

The NCAA Championships take place on Nov. 18 and begin at 11 a.m.