SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Oglethorpe cross country runners Ashton Deriso and Zachary Benner once again represented the Stormy Petrels on the biggest stage, becoming the sixth and seventh athletes in program history to compete in the NCAA Division III National Championships. The duo returned to nationals for the second straight year and delivered another historic performance, finishing 46th and 137th, respectively, in a field of nearly 300 competitors.

Deriso led with a 46th-place finish and a time of 24:48.6, setting a new school record for the highest national placement. He broke his own record from last season, when he finished 49th. Deriso entered the championship after an outstanding postseason that included finishing as the south regional runner-up.

Benner followed with a strong performance of his own, earning 137th place in 25:35.5. This capped off a standout season in which Benner was crowned the Southern Athletic Association Champion and secured his fourth consecutive All-SAA first team honor. Benner's consistency and leadership over the last four seasons have solidified him as one of the most decorated runners in program history.

Race Notes

• Deriso and Benner became the sixth and seventh Oglethorpe cross country runners ever to qualify for the NCAA Championships. They are the 10th and 11th national qualifier across Oglethorpe cross country and track & field.
• They competed in a field of nearly 300 of the nation's top Division III runners.
• Their back-to-back national appearances mark one of the strongest eras in Oglethorpe cross country history.