Contact: Brock Reisler, Assistant Executive Director, breisler@midwestconference.org
 
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Boasting four of the top seven finishers, Lawrence University claimed the Midwest Conference (MWC) Men’s Cross Country Championship on Saturday afternoon at Seminole Valley Park.
 
Lawrence earned a team score of 34 points – the only school with under 60 total points. This championship marks the 11th in school history for the Vikings, and second in the past five seasons.
 
Ryan Cassiday (24:54.1), Nick Hansen (25:02.6), Finn Lee (25:14.9) and Zach Meyer (25:24.3) paced Jason Fast’s club, taking fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. Caleb Hardy took 12th in 25:57.1 to round out the scoring for Lawrence.
 
Cornell’s Isaac vanWestrienen broke the Midwest Conference men’s championship record, becoming the first person to run the 8K in under 24 minutes. The senior crossed the tape in 23:57.9 and now stands as one of 12 men’s cross country runners in MWC history to win multiple conference championships. He also broke the Seminole Valley Park course record in the process.
 
Grinnell College secured second place in the team standings, scoring 62 points. Three Pioneers finished inside the top 10, highlighted by MWC Newcomer of the Year Jack Lakin (9th place, 25:39.4).
 
The Lawrence University coaching staff was named the 2025 MWC Men’s Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year. The Vikings are guided by head coach Jason Fast in his 17th season, along with assistant Shelby Baldwin.
 
James Snyder of Grinnell college was awarded the 2025 MWC Men’s Cross Country Elite 20 award for having the highest cumulative grade-point average among student-athletes competing in the championship.
 
The final team standings and the All-MWC Team recognizing the top 20 finishers are listed below.
 
2025 MWC Men’s Cross Country Team Scoring/Final Standings

1. Lawrence University - 34 points
2. Grinnell College - 62 points
3. Cornell College - 95 points
4. Ripon College - 107 points
5. Knox College - 155 points
6. Illinois College - 174 points
7. Beloit College - 180 points
8. Monmouth College - 191 points
9. Lake Forest College - 193 points

 
2025 MWC Men’s Cross Country All-Conference Team (Top-20 Finishers)

1. Isaac vanWestrienen, Cornell – 23:57.9
2. Lance Miller, Knox – 24:28.7
3. Jacob Bach, Cornell – 24:34.2
4. Ryan Cassiday, Lawrence – 24:54.1
5. Nick Hansen, Lawrence – 25:02.6
6. Finn Lee, Lawrence – 25:14.9
7. Zach Meyer, Lawrence – 25:24.3
8. Luke Robinson, Grinnell – 25:38.9
9. Jack Lakin, Grinnell – 25:39.4
10. Ben Abelow, Grinnell – 25:43.9
11. Dylan Malmgren, Beloit – 25:49.5
12. Caleb Hardy, Lawrence – 25:57.1
13. Owen Lashenik, Lake Forest – 26:04.8
14. Finn Lettau, Ripon – 26:07.3
15. Jeremy Saloun, Ripon – 26:11.1
16. Robby Biesenthal, Illinois College – 26:13.7
17. Sebastian Vilches, Grinnell – 26:15.5
18. Greyson Imm, Grinnell – 26:17.4
19. Isaac Morris, Cornell – 26:18.4
20.  Connor Heagy, Grinnell – 26:24.0