Notre Dame, Ind./Colfax, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's cross country team, first on this week's U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTCCCA) National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III rankings, swept a pair of team titles Friday, capturing the University of Notre Dame Joe Piane Invitational and UW-Eau Claire Blugold Invitational.
 
Competing in the Joe Piane Gold Division, UWL finished with 41 team points. Western Ontario University was second with 127 points and Eastern Michigan University third with 150. Indiana State University was fourth (213) and Central Michigan University fifth (225). A total of 18 teams competed.
 
The Eagles' nine runners all finished in the top-57, including five in the top-14. Grant Matthai was the team's top finisher, placing third overall with a time of 23:42.2 on the 8,000-meter course. Aidan Matthai was fifth (24:00.6), Corey Fairchild seventh (24:19.1), Jayden Zywicki 12^th (24:28.1) and Joey Sullivan 14^th (24:30.2).
 
Charles Vater finished 21^st (24:40.3) with Adam Loenser 24^th (24:43.3), Mason Brown 28^th (24:45.9) and Chris Wolfe 57^th (25:14.0).
 
A total of 150 runners completed the race with Bismack Kipchirchir of Akron University (Ohio) winning the individual title (23:18.1).
 
At the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Invitational, UWL took first-place with 28 points while UW-Eau Claire was second with 57 and UW-Stout third with 61. St. John's University (Minn.) placed fourth (110) and Marquette University (Wis.) fifth (147). A total of 13 teams competed.
 
Owen Clark led UWL with a fourth-place finish, completing the 8,000-meter race in 24:52.2. The Eagles' Aidan Manning was fifth (24:57.9), Elias Ritzke sixth (24:59.3) and Will Aurit ninth (25:05.6).
 
Parker Heintz was 16^th (25:22.0) while Luke Chaffin finished 18^th (25:25.7), Logan Bell 22^nd (25:30.5) and Nash Merklein 23^rd (25:32.0).
 
Other runners finishing in the top-50 included Thomas Menefee 28^th (25:38.9), Mitch Garcia 32^nd (25:45.5), Diego Serraino 33^rd (25:46.4), Logan Salzmann 38^th (25:54.6) and Chase Altergott 50^th (26:12.8).
 
Ryan Gwaltney was 55^th (26:19.1), Kade Layton 62^nd (26:29.3), Austin True 65^th (26:34.8), Zach Slevin 68^th (26:37.3),
 
UW-Eau Claire's Mason Shea won the individual title (24:37.4) as 225 runners completed the race.
 
UWL returns to action Saturday, October 19 hosting the Jim Drews Invitational at 11:45 a.m. at Maple Grove Venues, LLC in West Salem.