Missouri Baptist Wins Second-Straight Men's Cross Country Championship; Dukes Wins Fourth Individual Title
November 4, 2022
Columbia, Mo. - (Championship Page | Full Results ) Missouri Baptist Spartans took home first place at the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Men's Cross Country Championships on Friday afternoon. The Spartans have now won two-straight team titles and five championships all-time.
The Spartans scored 38 points and edged out Columbia (45) and William Woods (49). This was the closest point spread between first and third in AMC Men's Cross Country Championship history.
Missouri Baptist was led by Donovan Denslow who finished as the runner-up with a time of 25:55.48. Wyatt Elliott added a top-five finish for the Spartans as he placed 4th in a time of 26:19.36.
Alexander Dukes of Columbia won the individual title for the fourth-straight year, becoming the first-ever runner to win the individual championship four times. Dukes ran 25:46.13, a personal-best at the AMC Championships for him. Additionally, Dukes becomes a five-time All-Conference runner (Covid). Dukes was named AMC Runner of the Year for the fourth-straight year.
Jenson Starr of William Woods was the first Owl across the finish line in a time of 26:35.46 and a fifth-place finish, earning AMC Newcomer of the Year honors. This is the second-straight year the Owls won the award.
Freshman of the Year honors went to Will Cherrington of Columbia, after he placed 6th in a time of 26:40.36. Cherrington is the first Cougar since 2018 (Dukes) to win the honor.
After leading the team to their second-straight team title, the group of David Lee, Jerry McQueen and Trey Peugeot were named AMC Men's Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year.
Dukes, Carter Brocato (Columbia), Starr and Cherrington are the individual qualifiers for the NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championships.
The top-10 finishers earned AMC All-Conference status.
Dukes became a five-time All-Conference runner, while teammate Brocato earns his third All-Conference honor. Denslow, Elliott and Landon Dunlap (William Woods) are two-time All-Conference performers, while Starr, Cherrington, David Fletcher (Missouri Baptist), Cameron Deatherage (Hannibal-LaGrange) and Orion Parker (William Woods) are first time All-AMC.
Additionally, the AMC has announced the members of the AMC Men's Cross Country Academic All-Conference and Champions of Character Team.
The AMC Champions of Character Team is one representative from each of the participating school who best exemplifies the NAIA Five-Core Values.
To be eligible for the Academic All-Conference Team, student-athletes must be in their second semester at their AMC institution, have at least a 3.0 GPA and finish the year on the team. Fall sport freshman are not eligible for the award in their first season.
AMC Men's Cross Country Champions of Character Team:
2022 AMC Men's Cross Country Academic All-AMC
The Spartans scored 38 points and edged out Columbia (45) and William Woods (49). This was the closest point spread between first and third in AMC Men's Cross Country Championship history.
Missouri Baptist was led by Donovan Denslow who finished as the runner-up with a time of 25:55.48. Wyatt Elliott added a top-five finish for the Spartans as he placed 4th in a time of 26:19.36.
Alexander Dukes of Columbia won the individual title for the fourth-straight year, becoming the first-ever runner to win the individual championship four times. Dukes ran 25:46.13, a personal-best at the AMC Championships for him. Additionally, Dukes becomes a five-time All-Conference runner (Covid). Dukes was named AMC Runner of the Year for the fourth-straight year.
Jenson Starr of William Woods was the first Owl across the finish line in a time of 26:35.46 and a fifth-place finish, earning AMC Newcomer of the Year honors. This is the second-straight year the Owls won the award.
Freshman of the Year honors went to Will Cherrington of Columbia, after he placed 6th in a time of 26:40.36. Cherrington is the first Cougar since 2018 (Dukes) to win the honor.
After leading the team to their second-straight team title, the group of David Lee, Jerry McQueen and Trey Peugeot were named AMC Men's Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year.
Dukes, Carter Brocato (Columbia), Starr and Cherrington are the individual qualifiers for the NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championships.
The top-10 finishers earned AMC All-Conference status.
Dukes became a five-time All-Conference runner, while teammate Brocato earns his third All-Conference honor. Denslow, Elliott and Landon Dunlap (William Woods) are two-time All-Conference performers, while Starr, Cherrington, David Fletcher (Missouri Baptist), Cameron Deatherage (Hannibal-LaGrange) and Orion Parker (William Woods) are first time All-AMC.
Additionally, the AMC has announced the members of the AMC Men's Cross Country Academic All-Conference and Champions of Character Team.
The AMC Champions of Character Team is one representative from each of the participating school who best exemplifies the NAIA Five-Core Values.
To be eligible for the Academic All-Conference Team, student-athletes must be in their second semester at their AMC institution, have at least a 3.0 GPA and finish the year on the team. Fall sport freshman are not eligible for the award in their first season.
AMC Men's Cross Country Champions of Character Team:
| Name | School |
| Josh Brown | Central Baptist |
| Peter Giles | Columbia |
| Cameron Deatherage | Hannibal-LaGrange |
| Zach Brasel | Health Sciences & Pharmacy |
| Marlon Durand | Lyon |
| David Fletcher | Missouri Baptist |
| Dustin Russell | William Woods |
| Josiah Weaver | Williams Baptist |
2022 AMC Men's Cross Country Academic All-AMC
| School | Name |
| Central Baptist | Josh Brown |
| Central Baptist | Jadon Price |
| Central Baptist | Isaiah Stiger |
| Columbia | Carter Brocarto |
| Columbia | Alexander Dukes |
| Columbia | Brock Fisher |
| Columbia | Peter Giles |
| Columbia | Ethan Line |
| Columbia | Austin Tegeler |
| Hannibal-LaGrange | Riley Kliethermes |
| Hannibal-LaGrange | Garrett Rhine |
| Hannibal-LaGrange | Cameron Deatherage |
| Hannibal-LaGrange | Alec Whitener |
| Health Sciences & Pharmacy | Carter Hemeyer |
| Health Sciences & Pharmacy | Zachary Brasel |
| Lyon | Zachary Nohr |
| Missouri Baptist | Alex Ahrens |
| Missouri Baptist | Jordan Crawford |
| Missouri Baptist | Wyatt Elliott |
| Missouri Baptist | Christian Kafoury |
| Missouri Baptist | Luke Montani |
| Missouri Baptist | Jack Warmann |
| William Woods | Landon Dunlap |
| William Woods | Dustin Russell |
| William Woods | Ian Schwierjohn |
| Williams Baptist | Gage Blankenship |