by CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Arya Bahreini and David Mountford turned in top-five showings to fuel Oklahoma City University’s third consecutive NAIA men’s cross country championship Saturday at McAlpine Creek Park.
No. 1-ranked Oklahoma City became the first NAIA program since Malone (Ohio) from 2007-09 to capture three consecutive national titles. The Stars tallied 78 points to 168 points for national runner-up Saint Mary (Kan.).
Other NAIA programs to three-peat were Adams State (Colo.) in 1979-81 and 1983-89, Lubbock Christian (Texas) from 1990-97, Life (Ga.) in 1998-2001 and Virginia Intermont from 2004-06.
Oklahoma City captured its 60th national championship in all sports. OCU won a national championship for the 23rd year in a row to continue a streak that dates to 1993-94.
“They’re just over the moon about winning their third consecutive national championship,” OCU coach Conor Holt said. “Only seven teams have been able to pull off that feat. They ran with a lot of pride and determination. Our team score was the largest team score we’ve had. Our 90-point margin shows the strength of our program. It shows the abilities of these boys when they’re counted on.”
Four Stars became all-Americans – Bahreini, Mountford, Mackenzie Wahpehpah-Harris (Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma)and Michael Vercoe-Curtis. Holt reeled in NAIA coach of the year for the third consecutive time.
“This is the most rewarding of the three titles and the most stressful,” Holt said. “They really did a good job. I started the program from scratch in 2011 and won the first championship in 2013 when nobody expected us to win it, and then we won it the second time people expected us to win it. This time we had new kids come in, and expectations were high and the kids were excited about it. We knew it would be a little tighter this year, but we had gamers on the team, and I couldn’t be happier for them.”
Bahreini took his third all-American nod with his third top-15 finish for OCU. Bahreini, a senior from Edmond, Okla., grabbed third place with a time of 24 minutes, 15.1 seconds. He was a four-time national meet qualifier, earning OCU’s first NAIA Championships berth.
Mountford collected fifth place by completing the 8,000-meter race in 24:36.0. Mountford, a junior from Shotton, Wales, became a two-time all-American.
Wahpehpah-Harris, a sophomore from Norman, Okla., picked up his third all-American honor with his 25:06.0 time, good for 16th place. Vercoe-Curtis, a senior from Kelston, Auckland, New Zealand, placed 29th with a 25:17.1.
The Stars’ Reno Blum, a senior from Tahlequah, Okla., turned in a 25:40.0, which was 43rd. Other OCU runners were Chris Ebert (26:10.8) and Dylan Smith-Sutton (27:01.0).
OCU had the best combined men’s and women’s finish among the programs in the NAIA Championships. The Stars were sixth in the women’s meet.
Conditions at the course included 52-degree temperatures, 9 mph winds and gusts up to 20 mph.
