Competing exclusively against junior college programs, the teams had varying success. The Lady Statesmen took home third place out of nine teams with 78 points, just three points from Iowa Western's silver. North Iowa Area CC easily secured the title with 27 points, while Anna Buenneke of NIACC won the 5K race in a time of 19:43.78.

On the men's side, the Statesmen placed seventh out of eight teams with 182 points. Host Iowa Western held off NIACC, 38-44, while Isaiah Samoei of IWCC claimed the individual crown on the 5K course in a time of 15:55.84, nearly a full minute ahead of his next closest competitor.

Rogge had an impressive collegiate debut, pacing the women in tenth place (out of 52 runners) in a time of 23:34.96.

Katie Burnett (Sr., Mesa, Ariz., Desert Ridge HS) was next in 14th place in a time of 24:15.89, while Kyra English (Fr., Draper, Utah, Alta HS), in 16th place in a time of 24:29.77, Alvina Gilmore (Fr., Keams Canyon, Ariz., Hopi HS), in 18th place in a time of 24:44.84, and Morgan Avery (Jr., Minot, N.D., Iowa Western CC), in 20th place in a time of 25:15.87, all finished in the top 20.

Jessica Bixler (Sr., Oskaloosa, Oskaloosa HS), in a time of 25:25.98 (21st), and Paige Thill (Fr., Perry, Perry HS), in a time of 25:35.89 (22nd), immediately followed Avery. Shelby Chisholm (Fr., Port Huron, Mich., Port Huron HS) rounded out the team's runners, finishing 48th overall in a time of 32:46.43.

Kipp Schuler (Sr., Haviland, Kan., Dana) also made quite an impression in his first navy and gold competition, leading the Statesmen with an eighth-place finish (out of 77 runners) in a time of 17:19.34.

Jordan Letzring (Sr., Alta, Alta HS) was next, finishing 40th in a time of 19:18.55, while Cameron Pittman (Fr., Carl Junction, Mo., Carl Junction HS) was 63rd overall in a time of 21:22.84.

Donovan DeVore (Jr., Wilton Wilton HS), in 74th place (25:20.37), and Quintin Marshall (Fr., St. Louis, Mo., McCluer South Berkeley HS), in 75th place (26:22.14), concluded the men's scoring.

"The course today was very difficult with lots of long runs on a very bumpy and unstable surface," Cross Country Coach Ammon Bennett said. "The conditions were not good for fast times so the strategy was to run conservative in the beginning and it paid off as the women picked up 25 positions between the first and second mile. Tactically, it was a very good race for them."

"We were without three of our top runners on the men's team for various reasons, but still managed to put together a good run," Bennett added. "We can definitely build from today."

Next: Penn travels to Pella next Saturday to compete in the Central Dutch Invitational at 10 a.m.