Men’s cross country will compete in the NCAA Championships on Saturday, Nov. 18. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics. 

SARAH HOHMAN | SPORTS EDITOR | shohman@butler.edu 

Butler’s men’s cross country team placed first at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Nov. 10 to punch their ticket to the NCAA championships. The team was ranked No. 12 nationally heading into the race. 

The Dawgs had five runners finish in the top 15. Graduate Florian Le Pallec finished first for Butler, finishing fourth overall, and William Zegarski followed close behind, crossing the line at fifth. Senior Matthew Forrester, senior Will Minnette and redshirt senior Jesse Hamlin placed ninth, 10th and 15th, respectively. 

With 43 points, Butler finished above No. 5 Wisconsin who came in second with 70 points. The Bulldogs also placed above No. 17 Notre Dame and No. 25 Michigan. There were 30 teams competing overall. 

Prior to this title, the best Butler regional finishes were in 2004 and 2008 when the team finished third. The women’s team placed second in the 2013 regional. 

The Cross Country Men’s NCAA Championships will take place on Saturday, Nov. 18 at the Panorama Farms Cross Country Course in Earlysville, Virginia.