NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The No. 23-ranked St. Olaf College men's cross country team opened its season with a second-place finish at the five-team Ole 5K Opener on Friday evening at St. Olaf Cross Country Course.

Running in hot and humid conditions with a feels-like temperature in the mid-90s, St. Olaf had seven of the top-13 individual finishers to finish with 44 points in the team standings. Macalester College had the top-two individual finishers and four in the top eight to finish 10 points ahead of the Oles, who were 29 points clear of third-place Bethel University. St. Olaf was ranked No. 23 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason Poll last week.

Senior Alex Bjork was the first Ole to cross the finish line, doing so in sixth place in 16:25.3. Sophomore Evan Goddard and junior Corbin Hobert were separated by just over a second in eight (16:28.5) and ninth (16:29.6) places, respectively.

First year Owen Riter took 10th (16:30.5) and sophomore Connor Hitchcock was 11th (16:30.7) to round out St. Olaf's five scorers, while juniors Garrett Seppanen (12th, 16:31.3) and Jackson Bullock (13th, 16:31.4) were also in the top 15.

The Oles will host their annual Alumni 5K Meet on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 10 a.m.